Emphasis on Freedom of Expression in Concluding Documents of a WSIS Follow-up Conference
02-12-2004 (Paris)
Freedom of expression and press freedom are at the core of the construction of an inclusive and people-centred knowledge society stated the concluding documents of a three-day UNESCO-supported conference on the role of African and Arab media in the Information Society, which took place from 22 to 24 November 2004 in Marrakech.
The conference was organised by the Moroccan Ministry of Information on the initiative of the International Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication (ORBICOM) and the Swiss Federal Office of Communication as a follow-up meeting to the 1st phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). More than 270 representatives of international and regional media professional and non-governmental organisations as well as media experts from the academic world and the media industry participated in the event.
The conference's themes for discussion included the media’s place in the information society; media freedom in cyberspace; impact of the digital divide on media; media and cultural diversity; women in the media; media ownership issues and the media’s position in Internet governance.
The Marrakech Declaration and the Plan of Action adopted by the conference participants stressed the importance of allowing journalists to carry out their duties without interference from governments. It also emphasized that press freedom stems from the level of governments’ commitment to democratic values. The Marrakech Declaration prominently reaffirmed Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights saying that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression” and implicitly recognized that many governments only pay lip service to such freedom inviting them to move from the “promise of Article 19 to its universal implementation”.
Further, the Marrakech Declaration claimed that media should be involved as full partners in the construction of the Information Society, emphasizing media’s vital function of gathering, checking, producing and distributing diverse news and content. Participants reiterated the role of a free press in holding governments accountable to the people, by accurately reporting on their activities and plans, by providing a forum for open debates so that policy makers can assess public opinion. In this context the Marrakech Declaration stressed the importance of domestic legislations guaranteeing the independence and plurality of media in order to allow them to function effectively and responsibly.
The Marrakech forum spoke out unequivocally about not allowing concerns of Internet governance to open the door for heavy handed regulation of the internet. The Marrakech Declaration encouraged “better cooperation on Internet management” and called for “respect of multilinguism” and “affordable global connectivity”. It also emphasized that “national security and the battle against crime and terrorism” should not be used as a pretext to imperil freedom of expression and press freedom.
The Moroccan Minister of Information, Mr Mohammed Nabil Benabdallah is sending the Marrakech Declaration and Plan of Action to the UN Secretary-General in order to be presented to the preparatory meeting of the 2nd phase of the World Summit on the Information Society with the expectation that its recommendations will influence the outcome of the final summit in Tunisia in 2005.
The conference's themes for discussion included the media’s place in the information society; media freedom in cyberspace; impact of the digital divide on media; media and cultural diversity; women in the media; media ownership issues and the media’s position in Internet governance.
The Marrakech Declaration and the Plan of Action adopted by the conference participants stressed the importance of allowing journalists to carry out their duties without interference from governments. It also emphasized that press freedom stems from the level of governments’ commitment to democratic values. The Marrakech Declaration prominently reaffirmed Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights saying that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression” and implicitly recognized that many governments only pay lip service to such freedom inviting them to move from the “promise of Article 19 to its universal implementation”.
Further, the Marrakech Declaration claimed that media should be involved as full partners in the construction of the Information Society, emphasizing media’s vital function of gathering, checking, producing and distributing diverse news and content. Participants reiterated the role of a free press in holding governments accountable to the people, by accurately reporting on their activities and plans, by providing a forum for open debates so that policy makers can assess public opinion. In this context the Marrakech Declaration stressed the importance of domestic legislations guaranteeing the independence and plurality of media in order to allow them to function effectively and responsibly.
The Marrakech forum spoke out unequivocally about not allowing concerns of Internet governance to open the door for heavy handed regulation of the internet. The Marrakech Declaration encouraged “better cooperation on Internet management” and called for “respect of multilinguism” and “affordable global connectivity”. It also emphasized that “national security and the battle against crime and terrorism” should not be used as a pretext to imperil freedom of expression and press freedom.
The Moroccan Minister of Information, Mr Mohammed Nabil Benabdallah is sending the Marrakech Declaration and Plan of Action to the UN Secretary-General in order to be presented to the preparatory meeting of the 2nd phase of the World Summit on the Information Society with the expectation that its recommendations will influence the outcome of the final summit in Tunisia in 2005.
Related themes/countries
· Action Directory
· News Archives 2004
· Freedom of Expression: News Archives 2004
· Morocco: News Archives 2004
Share this story:
Contact information
- UNESCO
Source