World Press Freedom Day 2009 celebrated all over the world
The potential of media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation was the topic of World Press Freedom Day 2009 celebrated on 3 May. To mark this year’s Day, UNESCO, in cooperation with its regional partners, organized many conferences and events in different parts of the world. Held throughout the whole month of May, these celebrations offered local media practitioners the opportunity to explore the enormous potential of media to serve as a platform for dialogue and a vehicle for understanding.
Africa
Conference in Kigali concludes with Declaration addressing free expression challenges in the region
Journalists and free expression advocates from eleven countries of Eastern Africa resolved to carry out a campaign against repressive media laws and the culture of impunity at a conference held in the Rwandan capital, Kigali. They drew up the Kigali Declaration calling upon governments to ensure the safety and security of journalists. >> More
Arab States
International media professionals adopt Doha Declaration on the Potential of Media
Some 250 media professionals from around the world adopted a declaration emphasizing the importance of media in communicating across cultural differences at the close of a two-day international conference entitled “Potential of Media: Dialogue, Mutual Understanding and Reconciliation” in Doha (Qatar). >> More
Asia and the Pacific
UNESCO and UNAMA: Press Freedom must be respected in Afghanistan
World Press Freedom Day was celebrated in Afghanistan to further support the still fragile state of freedom of expression in the country. To mark the day, UNESCO, in close collaboration with UNAMA and other partners, organized a day-long gathering, during which participants called for further efforts to respect press freedom in Afghanistan. >> More
South Asian journalists commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2009
UNESCO, jointly with OHCHR and the Federation of Nepali Journalists, convened a regional conference in Kathmandu (Nepal), which gathered more than 150 media practitioners from South Asian countries to discuss this year’s theme “The Potential of Media in Fostering Dialogue, Mutual Understanding and Reconciliation”. >> More
Latin America and the Caribbean
UNESCO Office in Quito celebrates World Press Freedom Day
Freedom of the press in the Andean countries was the topic of a conference organized by the UNESCO Office in Quito, in cooperation with FLACSO. The conference gathered representatives of the media, governmental bodies, academia and civil society to discuss new threats and opportunities for freedom of the press in Latin America. >> More
UNESCO hosts Caribbean Media and Communication Conference in Grenada
UNESCO’s Office in Kingston and partners organized the 12th Annual Caribbean Media and Communication Conference in St. Georges, Grenada, which saw over 53 participants from 10 countries in the region, ranging from policy makers, journalists, media entrepreneurs, educators and media managers, who gathered to formally celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2009.
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World Press Freedom Day celebrated in Jamaica
UNESCO’s Kingston Office organized a public forum on the theme "Media and Dialogue", under the patronage of Marc-Olivier Gendry, Ambassador of France to Jamaica. The event took the form of a panel discussion, which was attended by journalists, public relations practitioners and general public. >> More
North America
UNESCO New York Office commemorates World Press Freedom Day
UNESCO’s New York Office commemorated World Press Freedom Day with a live video broadcast from Doha, Qatar, that featured Staffan de Mistura, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General for Iraq; and Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Opinion and Expression of United Nations. Nearly 100 participants attended the World Press Freedom Day luncheon held at the UN Secretariat. >> More