World Press Freedom Day was established by the United Nations (UN) two years after a joint conference between UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Public Information held in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991. The conference called upon the UN to establish a day dedicated to celebrating the fundamental principles of press freedom and to honoring journalists who have lost their lives in pursuit of their profession. In 2011, World Press Freedom Day marks the twentieth anniversary of that declaration.

Recalling Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 and which states that the fundamental right of freedom of expression encompasses the freedom “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” World Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe every 3 May.
This year’s three-day celebration of World Press Freedom Day, whose theme is 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers, will culminate with the awarding of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on 3 May in Washington, DC, United States.

16-05-2011 (Geneva) 

Briefing session on World Press Freedom Day at WSIS Forum 2011

13-05-2011 (Apia) 

Media Alliance for the Pacific established with UNESCO support

09-05-2011 (Geneva) 

World Press Freedom Day celebrated in Geneva

09-05-2011 (Cairo) 

Egyptian journalists debated press freedom after decades of suppression

09-05-2011 (Kabul) 

World Press Freedom Day celebrated in Afghanistan

05-05-2011 (Tunisia) 

UNESCO invited all journalists and media development partners to celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2011 in Tunis

04-05-2011 (Paris) 

Statement by Ahmad Zeidabadi, laureate of the 2011 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize

04-05-2011 (Kingston) 

Caribbean journalists celebrate World Press Freedom Day

04-05-2011 (Windhoek) 

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration

03-05-2011 (Kathmandu) 

Nepal Celebrates World Press Freedom Day on 3 May

03-05-2011 (Baghdad) 

UNESCO World Press Freedom Day in Iraq: Exploring New Media’s Frontiers and Challenges

02-05-2011 (Paris) 

Director-General calls for freedom of expression to be protected worldwide

02-05-2011 (Windhoek) 

UNESCO OER Platform to be tested at celebrations of World Press Freedom Day in Windhoek

02-05-2011 (Quito) 

World Press Freedom Day celebrated in Andean region

29-04-2011 (Paris) 

The challenges of the new media at heart of World Press Freedom Day celebrations

08-04-2011 (Windhoek) 

Young people in Namibia to sensitize public on importance of independent and pluralistic media

07-04-2011 (Paris) 

Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi to receive 2011 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize

04-04-2011 (Paris) 

Website raises curtain on celebration of World Press Freedom Day 2011 in the United States

16-12-2010 (Paris) 

World Press Freedom Day 2011 to focus on 21st century media

10-12-2010 (Doha) 

UNESCO and Al Jazeera to promote freedom of expression in the Arab world

26-11-2010 (Paris) 

Nominations are sought for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2011

Sylvie Coudray

Senior Programme Specialist

Brigitte L'Horty

Programme Assistant