World Press Freedom Day 2016
World Press Freedom Day 2016
Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms: This Is Your Right!
Latest Info
- 25 May 2016 - Director-General welcomes freeing of Khadija Ismayilova, laureate of UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2016
- 11 May 2016 - UNESCO’s Research Conference on the Safety of Journalists paved the way for academic research cooperation
- 10 May 2016 - Director-General Irina Bokova and Christiane Amanpour speak out for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Laureate, Ms Khadija Ismayilova
Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Over 100 national celebrations take place each year to commemorate this Day. UNESCO leads the worldwide celebration by identifying the global thematic and organizing the main event in different parts of world every year.
The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.
Events
UNESCO and the Government of Finland co-hosted the World Press Freedom Day's main event and the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Ceremony in 2016 which took place in Helsinki, Finland, from 2-4 May 2016. World Press Freedom Day 2016 was organized under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö.
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Christiane Amanpour hosts her own news broadcast AMANPOUR and is Chief International Correspondent for CNN. She was designated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and Journalist Safety in April 2015 in recognition of her commitment to promote free, independent and pluralistic media, having the right to work free from the threat of violence, and contributing through this to peace, sustainability, poverty eradication and human rights.