Accra, July 13, GNA - Ghana will for the first time host the World Press Photo Exhibition, the world's leading press photography competition, to encourage more Ghanaians to enter the competition next year.

The 49th exhibition in the series would display a collection of photographs by Ghanaian school children, as well as other remarkable photographs on incredible events that have occurred globally. Mr Toon Van der Veer, Director of The Groningen - Ghana Foundation, initiators of the event, said the competition allowed photographers to contest with unique pictures that could be used as historical documents. The competition comes off on July 21 to August 4, 2006 at the Ghana National Museum.

He said the competition's renowned photojournalist judges would then select winning photographs that would be documented to serve as landmark on what happened throughout the year.

Mr Van der Veer said the organisers were happy to host the event in Ghana, due to democracy, freedom of speech and expression the country was enjoying.

He said the Foundation had also organised training programmes for pupils and other youth organisation to educate them on basic principles of photography, for them to develop interest in the area. The Director commended the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Wienco and other sponsors for the support and expressed the hope that many Ghanaians would enter the competition next year. Dr Kwesi Owusu, Chief Executive Officer of Creative Storm, a multimedia communication company and co-sponsors of the competition, said: "Accra is a great city to have this exhibition for the first time, which opens a unique window for all to see the world through the illuminating media of press photography."