Five days before World Press Freedom Day, a photo exhibition has opened in London telling the story of journalism’s deadliest year, through the images that defined it.
Being There” Witness Trust and Trust has been curated by the Rory Peck Trust in partnership with AFP, AP and Reuters as well as London’s ST.ART Galley. Among the pictures featured is an image captured by a Palestinian journalist just two days before she was killed by an Israeli airstrike.
Freelance photojournalism Mariam Dagga from Gaza, worked with the Associated Press. On Saturday in August 2025, she captured a scene that became all too familiar: a family mourning their 11-year-old son inside the hospital. Two days later, in that same place, Mariam was killed in an airstrike. She was just 33 years old.
At least 129 journalists and media workers were killed last year – and the exhibition tells not just the story of the past year, but the stories behind the stories. Many of those featured are freelancers. They take the risks. They make the judgement calls. And too often, they do it without the backing or protection staff journalists rely on.
But this exhibition isn’t just about them.
In a moment where journalism is under sustained pressure and misinformation moves faster than fact, the exhibitions shows that the images are not just pictures. They are the product of presence, judgement, and often, courage. Speaking at the opening of the exhibition last night, the Executive Director of the Rory Peck Trust, Jon Williams said he hoped it would change the way people think about frontline journalism. “When you see just what it takes to be there—you don’t just see these images differently. You value them differently. And that matters. Because if we don’t value eyewitness journalism, we won’t defend it. And if we don’t defend it, we risk losing it.”
Being There: Witness Truth and Trust runs until Sunday. You can also visit the exhibition by clicking on the button below.
Open daily 12-6pm, ST.ART Gallery, 36 Eastcastle St, London. W1W 8DP. Admission free.