Peace Walk: Pilgrims of Hope

• Prize
  Gold in Press/Feature Story, 1st Place winner in Press
• Photographer
  Gülcan Turhan, Netherlands
• Date of Photograph
  26 April 2026
• Instagram
  @gulcan_turhan_photography

People from many cultures, beliefs, and generations gathered at Amsterdam’s Dominicuskerk for the opening of the Netherlands leg of the Peace Walk, a journey from Finisterre to Jerusalem aiming to arrive in spring 2027. Beneath white feathers, prayers, songs, and speeches reflected on coexistence and collective responsibility. Candles were lit hand in hand. After the ceremony, people walked together silently through the city, guided by pilgrim staffs. Through the gathering and the walk, I witnessed moments of connection, reflection, and quiet humanity carried through a fragmented world.

Gülcan Turhan is an Amsterdam-based photographer and IT professional. Born and educated in Ankara, she has been living in Amsterdam since 1987, where long-term observation of urban life has shaped her photographic practice. Deeply dedicated to photography, she approaches the medium as a way to engage with the world and to connect with people through shared, everyday experiences. Her work is rooted in street photography and guided by a strong interest in social life and documentary storytelling, focusing on moments that reveal human connection and broader societal dynamics.

Awards - PX3 Shortlisted in State of the World 2025
- World Street Photography 2025, Honorable Mention
- Street Photography Gallery 2025, Top 30 Blue Star Prize
- Photojournalism Prize 2026, Shortlisted with 3 series entries
- Urban Photography Award 2026, shortlisted with 9 single entries
- Pure Street Photography 2026, Official Finalist
- Ephemere Photo Festival Tokyo 2026, Triptychs Selected Artist
- Street Photography France - Editor's Pick in Passages - 2026


- Street Photography Gallery 2026 Exhibition - Jamini Roy Gallery, ICCR, Kolkata
- Street Portraits Exhibition 2026 - Knapp Gallery, London

Studied photography at the Amsterdam Foto Academy, completing the first year of the program, and further developed her practice through numerous workshops organized by Magnum Learn and Venice International Photo Festival led by internationally recognized photographers.