Grantee Alessandro Cinque Wins World Press Photo Regional Award for 'Alpaqueros' Project

Photojournalist and Pulitzer Center grantee Alessandro Cinque won a regional award in the 2023 World Press Photo Contest in the South America, Stories category for his Pulitzer Center-supported project, Alpaqueros.

“This story is a great example of solutions-based journalism, telling a story about the climate crisis from a fresh angle,” said the jury in a comment. “The photographer captures a multilayered story and balances narratives about loss and preservation.”

In Alpaqueros, Cinque examines how climate change has affected the alpacas of the Peruvian Andes, which are indigenous to the land and integral to the culture. Alpaqueros, or alpaca farmers, face challenges to their traditional livelihoods as climate change remakes the landscapes and shifts the weather patterns. Alpaqueros now face a hard choice: moving to higher altitudes or abandoning their lifestyles to live in the low-lying cities. 

In his photo stories, Cinque documents the alpacas’ seasonal migration, the local economies that depend on them, and the research centers that aim to combat the effects of climate change on the animals. His photos are published in two stories: “The High-Altitude Quest To Save Alpacas” in English for National Geographic and “The Resilience of Alpacas” in Italian for Internazionale.

“The jury was impressed by how the story narrates the relationship between people, culture and identity and demonstrates how they are deeply tied to all aspects of the changing environment and the animals living in it,” according to the jury. “The project is beautifully photographed, full of humor, and provides the perfect amount of information. Moreover, it is [a] perfect edit from start to finish as each frame is relevant and meaningful to the story, allowing the viewer to become invested.”

The World Press Photo Contest recognizes and celebrates the best photojournalism and documentary photography. This year, 24 winners were selected from more than 60,000 entries in six world regions. Four global contest winners will be announced on April 20, 2023. The in-person World Press Photo Exhibition will premiere in Amsterdam on April 22, and then start its worldwide tour. 

View all of the regional winners here.