The VII Foundation

Now Open: Applications for Level 1 Visual Journalism Now Open: Applications for Level 1 Visual Journalism

Getting Started in Natural History Filmmaking

Armed Iranian women carrying rifles take part in a parade during a ceremony pledging allegiance to Iran’s new leader, organized by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2026, during a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.-Israel coalition. © Ali Khara.

re-Imagined: Reflections on Peace

exhibition →

The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo

film →

Ira, 19, supports her boyfriend, Mischa, in the hospital after he lost both his legs defending Ukraine, 2022. © Svet Jacqueline.

support the next generation of visual journalists

donate →

Previous slide

Next slide

the vii foundation

The VII Foundation is committed to in-depth journalism covering the crucial issues of our time. In a world where beliefs and actions are increasingly out-of-sync with facts and realities, our response is to ensure the truth is documented to enable communities worldwide to make evidence-based choices about the challenges impacting their lives.

EDUCATE

programs → ALUMNI COMMUNITY →

open calls Level 1 courses in our Visual Journalism Program the vii foundation Film Lab A Program for Majority World Voices in film

FIND OUT MORE

Long lines for water and flour are made by women of refugee families. © Ebrahim Alipoor / VII Mentor Program.

Report

EXHIBITIONS → PHOTOGRAPHERS →

FIND OUT MORE

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officer Eugene Goodman confronts protesters as they storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., after listening to a speech by President Trump on January 6, 2021. A large mob convened in Washington, D.C., for a "Save America" or "Stop the Steal" rally incited by President Trump and stormed the United States Capitol building, fighting with police and damaging offices and rooms as they made their way through the building. As President Trump openly condoned the violence, the D.C mayor called for a 6 PM curfew and mobilized the National Guard. © Ashley Gilbertson / VII.

FILMS

THE STRINGER → EAT UP →

FIND OUT MORE

"The Stringer" Director Bao Nguyen and crew. Ho Chi Minh City. March 2024. © Gary Knight.

ENGAGE

UPCOMING EVENTS → DISPATCHES BLOG →

FIND OUT MORE

Chechnya contact sheet © Christopher Morris.

OPEN FOR APPLICATION

Getting Started in Natural History Making

An educational program combining virtual and in-person learning to introduce the fundamentals of natural history filmmaking. Applications close August 15, 2026.

apply here

Riot police are seen with flowers that protesters gave them during an anti-coup protest in Yangon, Myanmar on 6 February 2021. © Ta Mwe.

VJP.4.001 Myanmar

A tuition-free course for journalists from Myanmar to develop skills in reporting, research, photography, and short-form video production for local, regional, and international media. Applications close July 18, 2026.

apply here

Passersby walk down a street in Caracas, where in the background, a mural of Blessed José Gregorio Hernández, who is set to be canonized on October 19 in Rome, can be seen. Caracas, Venezuela, Oct. 1, 2025. © Jimmy Villalta for The VII Foundation.

VJP.1.032 Central and South America, Level 1

A tuition-free, 12-week seminar that equips participants with the skills to produce publication-ready photo essays for editorial contexts. Taught in Spanish by Cristina Baussan. Applications close August 9, 2026.

apply here

Fisherwomen Kasthuri and Sumathi are waving a fishing net during the start of work in Ennore, Thiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu in Southern India on March 29, 2025. “This place used to be a forest on both sides of the road and there were mangroves around this region. None of these industrial companies used to exist back in the day. After these companies took over the major parts of land in the town, the water quality has drastically dropped down and the color of the water is an indicator of it. Quality of catch of fishes has reduced substantially as a result of it.” says Kasthuri. © Narayana Swamy Subbaraman.

VJP.1.033 South Asia, Level 1

A tuition-free, 12-week seminar that equips participants with the skills to produce publication-ready photo essays for editorial contexts. Taught in English. Applications close August 9, 2026.

apply here

Kehinde and Ola, two Micra drivers, wait for passengers in the evening at Eleyele in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, on Nov. 7, 2025. Evening queues reflect the slowdown that follows Ibadan’s peak commuting hours as workers return home from the city center. © Temiloluwa Johnson for The VII Foundation.

VJP.1.034 Southern and Eastern Africa, Level 1

A tuition-free, 12-week seminar that equips participants with the skills to produce publication-ready photo essays for editorial contexts. Taught in English by Paul Botes. Applications close August 9, 2026.

apply here

Agroecological farmers Roselei de Fatima Ferreira dos Santos Porto, 45, known as Rose, and Alderi da Silva Porto, 55, prepare their family stall with the help of their children, Luis Henrique, 17, and Isabella, 13, at the Ecological Farmers’ Market (FAE) in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, on October 25, 2025. Founded in 1989 as Brazil’s first ecological farmers market, the FAE has become a weekly cultural institution where producers and consumers connect directly, celebrating agroecology and sustainable food systems and inspiring similar markets across the region. © Mateus Bruxel for The VII Foundation.

VJP.1.035 Brazil, Level 1

A tuition-free, 12-week seminar that equips participants with the skills to produce publication-ready photo essays for editorial contexts. Taught in Portuguese by Leonardo Carrato. Applications close August 9, 2026.

apply here

find out more →

news

An Afghan girl sits in front of a bakery in the crowd with Afghan women waiting to receive bread in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 31, 2022. © Ali Khara.

INTRODUCING the 2026–2027 VII Mentor Program Cohort

Our open call for application once again received an astounding number of entries, requiring careful review through several selection rounds. In addition to choosing five participants through our open call, we also partnered with Ian Parry Grant to invite the winner, Omar Ashtwy, to be a part of our program. He has been paired with Ali Arkady, himself a former VII Mentee.

find out more

Anti ICE protestors clash with ICE agents outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during a protest January 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ron haviv in in Minneapolis, Minnesota

“I’ve photographed under dictators, societies on the cusp of breakup, and outright invasion. One of the closest comparisons I see, in terms of class, economics, and values, is the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s...We are not there yet, but when rhetoric is backed by armed force, that’s how escalation begins. We’re starting to get used to the visualization of militarization on the streets,” writes Director of The VII Foundation Ron Haviv.

find out more

Photograph by Ulysse Fiévé.

Dispatches in Exile – Goldziher Fellowship Announced

Applications are now open for the Dispatches in Exile – Goldziher Fellowship, a four-month paid mentorship for a Palestinian journalist living outside Palestine. The fellowship offers comprehensive editorial guidance, a monthly stipend of $500, and publication of selected work on the Dispatches in Exile portal.

find out more