A new chapter of the Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP) Alumni Fellowship begins with the selection of six new fellows for 2025. Now in its second edition, the fellowship offers continued support to graduates of the program, helping them expand their documentary practices through mentorship and consultancy.
Launched in 2024 during the 10th cycle of ADPP, the Alumni Fellowship is a joint initiative by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), Prince Claus Fund and Magnum Foundation, in association with For Freedoms. The program extends ADPP’s longstanding mission by supporting past participants as they develop new work and deepen their engagement with documentary storytelling. This year’s fellows — hailing from Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan and Syria — are working on diverse projects that take the shape of photobooks, workshops and festivals. Submissions ranged from early research to works in progress, reflecting the wide spectrum of documentary approaches in the region today.
Syrian photographer Mohammed Nammoor’s Attempting to Capture the Fearful City explores layered visual representations of Damascus before and after the fall of the Assad regime, examining how fear embeds itself in both familiar scenes and collective memory.
In Lens Through Legacy, Somali photographer Mustafa Saeed creates a series of photography workshops that culminate in exhibitions showcasing Somali stories and voices.
Lebanese photographer Roï Saade presents Bound Narratives: Tunis Edition, a celebration of photobooks as a vital medium for visual storytelling in the MENA region. The project invites local photographers in Tunisia to build their own narratives and books.
In The Return, Sudanese photographer Salih Basheer documents the impact of Sudan’s ongoing crisis, focusing on displacement, loss and the human costs of war.
Egyptian visual storyteller Sara Younes offers At a Peter Pan Moment, a documentary photo book for children and adults alike. It follows a young Lebanese boy, Danny, as he navigates migration and grief through parkour and community, transforming movement into a form of resistance and self-discovery.
Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf’s Faces from Gaza: Life Before the War is a visual exploration of Gaza's society and daily life before it was engulfed by the devastation of war. Through portraits and scenes of daily rituals, the book preserves memories of a vibrant society under threat.
All six photographers are alumni of the Arab Documentary Photography Program and will receive personalized guidance from mentors and industry experts. In turn, they will contribute to the next generation of photographers by leading masterclasses as part of the main ADPP workshops — continuing to grow the community that the program has nurtured over the past 11 years.