Press Photos of 2025: The World Through the Lens in Late March
The most compelling press photos of 2025 from the final days of March capture a world in motion — marked by ancient celebrations, political unrest, cultural spectacle, and natural disaster. These eighteen images, shot by photojournalists across four continents, offer a sweeping portrait of our shared moment in history.
Nowruz: Fire, Color, and Renewal
Few events in late March carried the visual power of Nowruz, the Persian New Year marking the spring equinox. Celebrations unfolded across multiple nations simultaneously, producing some of the most striking imagery of the month.
In the Akre district of Nineveh, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, thousands of Iraqi Kurds descended on the hillsides carrying blazing torches on March 20, 2025. Nowruz, which begins precisely at the moment of the spring equinox, holds deep cultural and emotional significance for Kurdish communities worldwide. The photograph, taken by Osama Al Maqdoni for Middle East Images via AFP, shows a river of fire flowing through the night.
In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, artists dressed in elaborate national costumes took to the stage on March 21, 2025, to mark Nowruz — also known locally as Nooruz. The United Nations officially recognizes March 21 as International Nowruz Day, acknowledging its role as the new year for many nations along the ancient Silk Roads. Igor Kovalenko captured the performance for EPA.
Celebrations and Parades: Community in Motion
Beyond Nowruz, several communities marked major occasions with public displays of culture and pride.
On March 23, 2025, the 2025 Macao International Parade took place in Macao, southern China, commemorating the 26th anniversary of Macao’s Return to the Motherland. Cheong Kam Ka photographed the colorful procession for Xinhua/Alamy Live News.
A quieter but equally beautiful scene emerged from Taiwan on March 25, 2025, where a visitor at the Alishan National Scenic Area in Chiayi raised a camera to photograph a train gliding past rows of blooming cherry blossom trees. Ann Wang’s image for Reuters became an instant emblem of the season.
In Cairo, Egypt, Mohammed Al-Dahshan continued a beloved Ramadan tradition on March 20, 2025. Adorned with LED lights alongside his horse, Al-Dahshan rides through the streets of the Dekernes region each night at sahur — the pre-dawn meal eaten during Ramadan — rousing residents for the meal before the fast resumes. Mohamed Elshahed documented the luminous ritual for Anadolu via Getty Images.
Conflict and Consequence: Ukraine and Istanbul
War and political upheaval produced some of the month’s most sobering frames.
On March 21, 2025, rescue workers in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, sifted through the wreckage of a residential building destroyed by a Russian drone strike. Kateryna Klochko’s photograph for AP captures the exhausting, dangerous work of clearing rubble in a city that has endured sustained bombardment.
Across the Black Sea, Istanbul witnessed fierce street clashes on March 21, 2025, after the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu triggered mass protests. In one stark image by Khalil Hamra for AP, a police officer kicks away a flare thrown by demonstrators, the smoke and tension palpable in every frame.
Arts, Fashion, and Performance
Culture flourished under the spotlights of several prestigious venues and events during this period.
At the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford, northern England, performers from South Korean choreographer Eun-Me Ahn’s dance company rehearsed Dragons on March 21, 2025. The production blends modern and traditional Asian dance styles and forms part of Bradford 2025 City of Culture programming. Oli Scarff photographed the dress rehearsal for AFP.
Tokyo Fashion Week’s 2025 Autumn/Winter showcase, which ran from March 17 to 22, featured a striking collection by Japanese designer Lim Asafuji for the label Pays des Fées. Franck Robichon captured a model presenting the collection for EPA/EFE on March 19, 2025.
In Bogota, Colombia, the opera Sun & Sea took the stage of the Colón Theatre for a media rehearsal on March 20, 2025. Carlos Ortega’s image for EPA/EFE shows the cast mid-performance, the grandeur of the historic venue framing each gesture.
English-Albanian pop star Dua Lipa electrified Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on March 19, 2025. Naomi Rahim’s concert photograph for Getty Images captures the scale and energy of the performance.
Valencia’s legendary Fallas Festival closed on March 19, 2025, with its signature burning of the fallas — towering cardboard structures lampooning current events and world leaders. Among the ninots (individual cardboard figures, literally meaning “dolls” in Valencian) consumed by flames were satirical likenesses of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The festival is held annually as a tribute to Saint Joseph, patron saint of the carpenters’ guild. Jose Jordan photographed the blaze for AFP.
Sport and Spectacle
At Funabashi Racecourse in Chiba, Japan, approximately 550 participants dressed in inflatable tyrannosaurus costumes competed in a Tyrannosaurus Race on March 22, 2025. The quirky event traces its origins to the T-Rex Race first held at Emerald Downs in Washington state, USA, in 2017, and has since become a growing phenomenon in Japan. Tomohiro Ohsumi captured the absurd spectacle for Getty Images.
At the Shymbulak ski resort near Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Red Bull Jump and Freeze competition drew daring participants on March 22, 2025. One contestant, dressed in a vivid costume, leapt into a pool of icy water at the base of a ski slope. Pavel Mikheyev photographed the plunge for Reuters.
A Papal Return and a Strike in Panama
One of the month’s most closely watched moments came on March 23, 2025, when Pope Francis made his first public appearance in five weeks. The pontiff, who had been hospitalized at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, was photographed by Remo Casilli for Reuters as he prepared to be discharged — a moment of relief for millions of Catholics worldwide.
In Panama City, Panama, teachers’ unions launched a national strike on March 21, 2025, protesting a newly approved social security reform. The action partially paralyzed public schools and led to clashes between demonstrators and members of Panama’s Riot Control Unit (UCM). Bienvenido Velasco documented the confrontations for EPA.
Dissent and Disaster
On Brick Lane in east London, a worker walked past a series of street art posters on March 25, 2025, depicting Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk dressed in a World War Two Nazi German uniform. Isabel Infantes captured the provocative installation for Reuters, reflecting growing public debate across the United Kingdom.
In South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province, a wildfire driven by powerful winds entered its third consecutive day on March 24, 2025. Roads in Uiseong were closed as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze. Yonhap’s photograph for EPA shows the eerie, smoke-filled closure zone.
A Month the Camera Could Not Look Away From
Late March 2025 delivered an extraordinary breadth of human experience — from the torchlit joy of Nowruz to the charred ruins of Ukrainian homes, from the catwalks of Tokyo to a burning effigy in Valencia. These images remind us why photojournalism remains one of the most powerful forms of storytelling.
For more outstanding photojournalism from this year, explore our collection of best press photos of 2025 from January or revisit some of the year’s earlier defining frames in our powerful images from Set 6.
