MOSCOW, November 5. /ТASS/. Photojournalists from 40 countries submitted their applications to the International competition for professional photojournalists News Photo Awards. Overcoming COVID, launched by TASS, announced the agency's Corporate Communications Department.

"Photojournalists from 40 countries sent their pictures to the News Photo Awards. Overcoming COVID, which was organized by TASS News Agency," the statement reads.

It is noted that "the largest number of applications was sent by photojournalists from Asia and Europe. Applications were also received from North and South America, Africa, Australia and Oceania".

Any photographer working or collaborating with the media can take part in the competition free of charge. The photo must be taken no earlier than December 2019. The submissions will last until December 1, 2020. The winners will be announced on March 11, 2021. There are two nominations under the following categories: one for "Single Photo" and the other for "Picture Series". The winners in each category will get a monetary award of $3,000. The jury will also select the best snapshot out of all those submitted, and that one will be awarded the "Grand Prize". The one who took this winning picture will receive $10,000.

The jury will include renowned photojournalists representing the world's leading media - Associated Press, Reuters, AFP, Kyodo News, TASS, ANSA, PA Media, NOOR. The jury will consist of managing director of audio visual content Kyodo News Hitoshi Oikawa, chief of ANSA photo service Stefania Iantaffi, head of PA Media photo service Martin Kin, head of TASS photo information division Grigory Dukor, Pawel Kopczynski, photo editor at Reuters, responsible for the company's work in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as for global sports events. The jury also includes the head of the photography division of the Moscow bureau of the Associated Press Alexander Zemlyanichenko, special photo correspondent for France Presse in Moscow Mladen Antonov, founder of NOOR photo agency Yuri Kozyrev and experienced Canadian photojournalist and photo editor Gary Hershorn.