World Press Photo says:
At the prestigious 2009 Awards Ceremony in Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, a number of prominent speakers shared their thoughts with an international audience. The first speaker, World Press Photo managing director Michiel Munneke lifted the veil on the World Press Photo Academy and announced that a comprehensive online archive of prize-winning photography will be launched later this year.
In a speech that followed, Executive Board chairman Pieter Broertjes spoke about the pressures threatening the integrity of the profession and the need to stay true to high standards in reporting.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, World Press Photo’s patron, HRH Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, talked about the freedom of the press and about the importance of the work of photojournalists.