EMOTIONAL OPENING ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
World Press Freedom Day provided the opportunity to open the 10th edition of the International Press Photography Exhibition titled BIHOR PRESS at the FIAP Exhibition Center Oradea – Romania, “Euro Foto Art” Gallery (celebrating its 35th anniversary this year), located on the ground floor of Wing E in the Princely Palace of the Oradea Medieval Fortress. The event was organized by the International Association “Euro Foto Art” (AIEFA) in partnership with Summit Agro Romania and the Partium House from Debrecen (HU), under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), recognized by UNESCO. Photojournalists from the two twinned counties of the Bihor – Hajdú-Bihar Euroregion participated with 185 images, along with photographers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Serbia, Slovakia, and Turkey, who visited the Euroregion last year at the invitation of AIEFA. An international jury composed of Dr. Ramona Novicov from Oradea (RO), art critic, photographer Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP, president of AIEFA (RO), and media expert Stanik István from Debrecen (HU) selected 91 images for exhibition, which can be viewed on the AIEFA website: https://eurofotoart.ro/expo-fotografie-de-presa-din-euroregiunea-bihor-hajdu-bihar-2025/ . The opening took place during the prelude to Festum Varadinum on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 11:00 AM, in front of a large audience. It was opened by the president of AIEFA and curator of the exhibition, who presented the context of the 10 editions of the international contest. “I have always appreciated the work of photojournalists who are present at events from which they often deliver shocking images. I also appreciate that they attended over 600 openings organized in the most long-standing permanent photography gallery in Romania, the ‘Euro Foto Art’ Gallery, over its 35-year existence. At one point, I thought we should organize an international competition where the ‘protagonists’ would be them,” said the renowned photographer from Oradea in his speech. On behalf of Summit Agro Romania’s manager Dr. eng. Patricia Știrbu, Dr. eng. Dorin Popa emphasized the important role photojournalists play in illustrating texts and the key role Summit Agro Romania played in realizing this project. Journalist and photojournalist from the weekly Jurnal Bihorean, Camelia Bușu, stated in her speech: “I participated in all the editions of the competition and won several cups and medals. These contests have provided quality professional competition for photojournalists in this Euroregion.” Romania TV’s representative and photojournalist Daniel Bureția praised the high level of organization and highlighted that photojournalists often have to photograph less desirable subjects due to the nature of their profession. Photographer and photojournalist Ovi D. Pop, the winner of this year’s Photojournalists’ Cup, recalled the personality of the world’s first war photojournalist, Carol Pop de Szathmári – Szathmári Pap Károly, who photographed a war from beginning to end. The musical moments of the vernissage were provided by folk artist, photographer (international competition participant), writer, and composer from Berettyóújfalu (HU), Kocsis Csaba, who performed the song “Blowin’ in the Wind,” written in 1962 by Bob Dylan (which explores philosophical questions of peace, war, and freedom), and a surprise piece titled “Two in One,” premiered as a combination of the ballad “Andri Popa” by Vasile Alexandri written in 1843, made famous through “Phönix” concerts, and a ballad version of a folk song collected by Zoltán Kallós about the famous Hungarian outlaw Sándor Rózsa, who was imprisoned in Gherla (Szamosújvár). The exhibited works are also displayed on screens in Oradea’s public transportation, thanks to the protocol signed between AIEFA and OTL SA.
EXHIBITION OPENING OF BIHORENI PHOTOJOURNALISTS IN DEBRECEN (HU)
The Partium House in Debrecen hosted the first opening of the jubilee edition of the Bihoreni Photojournalists’ Competition “BIHOR PRESS”, organized by the International Association “Euro Foto Art” (AIEFA), “Summit Agro” Romania, and Partium House in Debrecen. For this edition, a record number of 31 participants (compared to 14 last year) registered from the two twinned counties, along with other photographers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Serbia, Slovakia, and Turkey, who visited the “Bihor – Hajdú-Bihar” Euroregion last year with a total of 185 images. On this occasion, a selection of 80 photographs from the 91 images accepted by the international jury was exhibited. The entire exhibition can be viewed online on the AIEFA website: https://eurofotoart.ro/expo-fotografie-de-presa-din-euroregiunea-bihor-hajdu-bihar-2025/ The audience present at the event was greeted by Ecsedi Borbála, the representative of Partium House, who invited photographic artist Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP, President of AIEFA and curator of the international exhibition, to the podium. In his speech, he emphasized: “The jubilee edition was first inaugurated in Debrecen to honor Hungarian Press Day, celebrated on March 15. I am delighted that this edition includes renowned photographic artists from several European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovakia, and Turkey) as well as the esteemed photographic artist Brian K. Smith, who, at AIEFA’s invitation, visited Oradea and Debrecen. With great satisfaction, we can also discover among the exhibited photographs the one captured by the journalist and photojournalist of the weekly ‘Bihari Napló’, who documented a historic moment—the cutting of the chain at the border crossing between Mihai Bravu (RO) and Pocsaj (HU). Furthermore, the photograph by photographic artist and photojournalist Ovi D. Pop EFIAPp, titled ‘The Last Strike’, demonstrated the high professional and artistic level at which a press photograph can be created.” Next, media expert Stanik István, the technical director of Magyar Házak SRL Nonprofit, praised the professional level of the jubilee edition and invited both amateur and professional photojournalists from the Bihor – Hajdú-Bihar Euroregion to prepare their works for the next edition. In conclusion, Mr. Hetei József, representative of the Debrecen Municipality, emphasized in his speech that since 1990, Hungarian Press Day has been celebrated every year on March 15, within which the opening of the photojournalists’ exhibition from the two twinned counties and cities is included. At the end of the event, cups, awards, and plaques were presented to the laureates of the international competition. The next opening of the exhibition will take place in Oradea on May 3, 2025, at 11:00 AM, dedicated to World Press Freedom Day, at the FIAP Exhibition Center, “Euro Foto Art” Gallery (which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year). The images will also be displayed on screens in public transport vehicles in Oradea, thanks to the protocol signed between AIEFA and OTL SA. The international exhibition will remain open to visitors in Debrecen for one month, with free public access!
Exhibited photos
