We are pleased to announce the winner of the second Visa d’Or Online: Lebanon – Perpetual War(s), produced for Le Monde.
The Visa d'or Online awards were created to complement the festival's support for photographers throughout the year, between the September editions where we already distribute more than €144,000 in prizes thanks to our partners.
With a prize of €1,500 supported by the Douglas Kirkland Estate, these Visa d'or award aim to support a recent project by promising, in addition to the prize money, promotion on our social networks, as well as at the next edition of the festival.
A propos de Rafael Yaghobzadeh
Rafael Yaghobzadeh, born in 1991, grew up in a cosmopolitan family shaped by exile and contemporary conflicts. In 2011, he photographed the Arab Spring before going on to cover popular uprisings and other conflicts. For over a decade, Rafael has been documenting the situation in Ukraine. His long-term projects explore memory, exile, identity, and heritage in disaster-stricken or post-conflict territories spanning the Middle East and Eastern Europe (Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, Armenia, Georgia, and the Baltic States). His work has been recognized with several awards and featured in numerous exhibitions; his photoessays are regularly published in the international press.
Winner's comments
This photo essay is part of an ongoing long-term project on Lebanon that began in 2019. I would like to dedicate this award to my Lebanese heritage. I would like to thank my family, my partner, and my friends for their support; the photo department at *Le Monde* for their trust; everyone in Lebanon without whom none of this would have been possible; and, of course, Visa pour l’Image.
Les membres du jury
The shortlist submitted to the jury, which voted on May 18, was compiled by the editorial team at Visa pour l’Image.
Cyril Drouhet / Le Figaro Magazine
Françoise Kirkland / Douglas Kirkland Estate
Olivier Laurent / The Washington Post
Fiona Shield / The Guardian
Marie Sumalla / Le Monde
Bernadette Tuazon / CNN
Date du prochain Visa d’or Online
Starting July 10, 2026!
To apply: https://visapourlimage.com/prix-et-bourses/visa-dor-online-par-le-douglas-kirkland-estate/