UNESCO and partners commemorate the Day in:
Title: Digital campaign to advocate on the need of effective mechanisms promote safety of journalists and prevent impunity
Dates: 2 November to 6 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The UNESCO office in Brazil will launch a digital campaign to promote a discussion on the need for effective mechanisms to promote safety of journalists and prevent impunity. Several UN agencies will participate in the campaign including United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Women and the UN Coordination office of Brazil.
Contact: Candido Soares, Adauto (Email: a.candido@unesco.org)
Title: Capacity Building/Training Workshop on Defense and Security Forces and Media Relations in an Electoral Context
Dates: 16 November – 20 November 2020
Place: Bangui, Central African Republic
Description: As part of its support for security systems in CAR and capitalizing on its expertise in the areas of electoral processes as well as media and press freedom, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), in partnership with the National Coordination of Security Sector Reform (SSR) in CAR and the SSR Section of UNMISCA, proposes to organize, in Bangui, a Capacity Building Workshop for the Security Forces and Central African Media/Journalists.
This project, which is consistent with the national SSR strategy and the integrated security plan for CAR, is part of the contribution that La Francophonie wishes to make to Central African security and media actors in favor of prevention and peacebuilding in CAR. It is part of the concern to ensure the observation of responsible practices that contribute to establishing a climate of security and serenity in CAR, in all phases of the democratic exercise that is the ongoing electoral process. The objective is to strengthen in CAR the relationship of trust between the defense and security forces (Gendarmerie, Police, FACA) and the media/journalists and the population, particularly during the election period.
Contact: Moustapha Gilbert DIEDHIOU (Email:Moustapha.Diedhiou@francophonie.org)
Title: How to guarantee the right to inform?
Dates: 29 October 2020, 10:00 am (CET)
Place: Virtual
Description: To commemorate International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the UNESCO Cluster office in Quito in partnership with United Nations, Colombia organized an online activity on 29 October 2020 with the title: “How to guarantee the right to inform? Protect the work of journalists”. It was attended by Jineth Bedoya, activists and journalists who received the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Prize 2020; Jonathan Bock, Director of FLIP Colombia, and Guilherme Canela, Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists at UNESCO.
Contact: Indira Salazar Martínez (Email: ir.salazar-martinez@unesco.org)
Title: Launch of a Regional Support Network for Displaced and Refugee Journalists
Dates: 4 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The Regional Support Network for Displaced and Refugee Journalists will be organizing events focused on freedom of expression and digital safety and providing psychological support for journalists and their families. This initiative will be launched with the regional offices of IOM and UNHCR as well as NGOs, namely, RET and HIAS. While the launch will be virtual, in-person activities with the members of this network will be organised in due time, pending further development of the Covid-19 situation.
Contact: Jamion Knight (Email: j.knight@unesco.org)
Title: For Fearless Journalism in Democratic Republic of Congo
Dates: 5 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The Kinshasa office of UNESCO will organise a national workshop titled ‘For Fearless Journalism in the Democratic Republic of Congo’ in partnership with NGO, Internews. The general objective of the workshop is to raise public awareness about UNESCO's contribution to ending impunity for crimes committed against journalists in the country. The workshop will aim to support the establishment of the Congolese Observatory on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and to promote the advocacy of journalists' rights organizations for the reopening of the cold case files of nine murdered journalists. It will also promote the publication of the Report on the State of Press Freedom in the Democratic Republic of Congo 2020 by NGO, Journalists at Risk, on the state of press freedom. Invited participants will include government representatives, members of the media associations, academia, civil society organisations and journalists.
Contact: Joseph Poto Poto (Email -j.poto-poto@unesco.org)
Title: Commemoration of the International Day for the End of Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Dates: 1 November to 7 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The commemoration event includes three key activities - 1. 1-7 November 2020: Exhibition of photos of murdered journalists at the PEN Centre. 2. 1 November 2020: The Centre-Pen Haiti will organize a talk on the theme: Freedom of Expression- Freedom in danger, with the writer Lyonel Trouillot, the sociologist and feminist activist Colette Lespinasse, and the journalist Hérold Jean-François, on Sunday, November 1st at the Centre Pen at 11 rue Levasseur in Delmas 75 at 5:00 PM (Port-au-Prince time). 3. 4 November 2020: A webinar to commemorate the International Day for the End of Impunity for Crimes against Journalists via Zoom, will be open to participation from the Haitian community everywhere, including friends of Haiti. The webinar will take place from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm (Port-au-Prince time).
Contact: Jeffrey Clark Lochard (Email: jc.lochard@unesco.org)
Title: Training session for the Iraqi National Committee of Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: Office of the Special Investigation Unit on Crimes against journalists, Ministry of Interior
Description: A training session for Iraqi National Committee of Safety of Journalists and Issue of Impunity will be organised on reporting mechanisms on crimes against journalists as part of the IPDC grant fund. The meetingwill focuson the mechanisms of journalists’ safety and prosecution to bring justice to murdered journalists and review the challenges and achievements of the fight against impunity in Iraq.The training will begin with speeches by key stakeholders on the issue of impunity, followed by a presentation of the initiatives with the Ministry of Interior on the efforts to fight impunity in Iraq. The case will focus onthe Special Investigation Unit on crimes against journalists.
Title: Publication of OSSIGENO Dossier on Andrea Rocchelli and impunity for journalists killed in wars
Dates: 31 October 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: To commemorate International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists 2020, Ossigeno per l’Informazione has launched two initiatives - Publication of the special dossier titled ‘Wars, journalists killed and impunity’: It recounts the life and death of the photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli and the trial in Milan to ascertain the responsibility for his killing in Ukraine in 2014, during the Donbass clashes. The dossier can be accessed in English and Italian via https://www.ossigeno.info/ossigeno-dossier-on-andrea-rochell....
Launch of the English version of free access online archive ‘They sought the truth’: The archive details the stories of 30 Italian journalists who were murdered and silenced before they could reveal uncomfortable truths. It is available via www.giornalistiuccisi.it.
Contact: Alberto Spampinato (Email: albertospampinato@yahoo.it)
Title: Launch of Journalists Safety Indicators
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: UNESCO Almaty will initiate a contract on Journalists’ Safety Indicators (JSIs) with the Adil soz International Foundation on the protection of freedom of speech under the approved IPDC project. JSI Kazakhstan will be launched with the aim to gather potential members of the National Steering Committee during the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
Contact: Sergey Karpov (Email: s.karpov@unesco.org )
Title: Immortal Pencils: the DNA of our murdered journalists
Dates: 21 October - 2 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) will launch its Immortal Pencils campaign to raise awareness about the impunity that surrounds most crimes against journalists, and the lack of justice that encourages more violence, censorship, and self-censorship. Immortal Pencils, under the slogan: “Voices can be silenced, but freedom is bulletproof” – a campaign created by Zubi Advertising in Miami – is based on three emblematic cases that the IAPA embraces as symbols of its struggle: Irma Flaquer, Guatemala, disappeared in 1980; Carlos Lajud Catalán, Colombia, assassinated in 1993; and Alfredo Jiménez Mota, Mexico, disappeared in 2005. The goal is to mobilize support and urge governments to act on this important issue by advancing policies against impunity and in favor of the safety of journalists. The campaign will be open to all individuals from around the globe, in addition to journalists, partners and non-members of IAPA.
For more information: www.lapicesinmortales.com
Contact: Ricardo Trotti (Email: rtrotti@sipiapa.org)
Title: No to Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists in the Arab Region
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: 12 pm at Radisson Blu Hotel Verdun, the Dunes Shopping Centre, Beirut 1105, Lebanon
Description: This event includes a seminar with several speakers and journalists, followed by the opening of a photo exhibition. This activity will be aimed at drawing attention to the serious risks faced by journalists as they do their peaceful press work in the Arab region, in addition to raising voices to demand the strengthening of protection and security for journalists, an essential requirement.
The activity will also aim to renew the call for all concerned institutions to take note that most of the killings and other hazardous violations committed against journalists by government agencies or extremist militias and armed groups have been carried out by unknown persons. This includes the murder of journalists and human rights defenders. The event will also urge an immediate and serious investigation in order to find practical and effective mechanisms that decisively end cases of impunity in crimes against journalists in all countries in the region.
Contact: George Awad (Email:g.awad@unesco.org)
Title: Investigative Journalism and the Right of Access to Public Information
Dates: 3 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI) and the Citizens' Council of the National Journalism Prize, A.C., in partnership with UNESCO, will hold the Digital Forum "Investigative Journalism and the Right of Access to Public Information" on November 3, 2020, in the framework of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
The objective of the Digital Forum is to analyze how the right of access to public information has become a fundamental tool for investigative journalism, as well as to reflect on the ethical criteria that must be observed in the exercise of journalism. Additionally, the presentation of the tool "Puntual" will be held, which is aimed at journalists at risk.
Contacts: Blanca Lilia Ibarra Cadena (Email: blanca.ibarra@inai.org.mx) and Cristóbal Robles López (Email: cristobal.robles@inai.org.mx )
Title: Social media campaign on Safety of Journalists
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The Globe International Center (GIC) in partnership with UNESCO will launch a social media campaign on the safety of journalists around 2 November, which will include a presentation on international standards for the safety of journalists and re-introduce findings of the monitoring on the safety of Mongolian journalists, which was jointly conducted by GIC, Bar Association and Media Council in 2019. As part of the campaign, UNESCO Director General's message, highlights from the new issue brief and report will be translated and disseminated. Also, the media will be mobilized for the dissemination and awareness raising on IDEI.
Contact: Qingyi Zeng (Email: q.zeng@unesco.org )
Title: Safety of Journalists: Practicing Journalism Without Fear or Favor
Dates: 9 and 10 December 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: A dialogue in collaboration with the Myanmar Press Council (MPC) will be organised on the topic of "Safety of Journalists: Practicing Journalism Without Fear or Favor". The session will start with highlights of the UNESCO Director General 2020 Safety of Journalists Report followed by ongoing initiatives to ensure the safety and protection of Myanmar journalists. This dialogue will focus on what is being done by various groups and sectors to address journalist safety issues and concerns. The publication, Safety of Journalists Covering Protests: Preserving Freedom of The Press During Times of Turmoil (translated in Burmese) will be presented and discussed. As part of increasing public awareness on the importance of press freedom as an essential requirement of democracy, “Messages on Freedom of the Press and Democracy” will be created and World Press Freedom Day video messages by the UN Resident Coordinator, Head of UNESCO Myanmar Office, MPC Chairman and 3 journalists will be shown.
Contact: Naing Naing Aye (Email: nn.aye@unesco.org)
Title: IDEI Talks: Safety of woman journalists, bloggers and media workers
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: Serena Hotel, Khayaban-e-Suhrwardy, opposite Convention Centre، G-5/1 G-5, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory 44000, Pakistan
Description: On August 12, a statement was released by a group of Pakistani women journalists highlighting a culture of hateful speech, incitement and cyber-harassment, that endangers and affects their professional and personal lives. As a result, women journalists were invited to brief the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly, on online abuse. The event will have 2-3 talks by female journalists, duty bearers and/or civil society representative respectively. This will be organised together with the EU delegation, the Embassy of Netherlands, Embassy of Sweden and the High Commission of Canada.
Contact: Maliha Shah (Email:ma.shah@unesco.org)
Title: Debate to commemorate International Day to End Impunity
Dates: 3 November 2020
Place: Carmel Hotel in Ramallah, Al Jihad Street Al Masyoun Ramallah, Ramallah
Description: This event will aim at raising the issue of impunity for crimes against journalists in a discussion among concerned stakeholders including decision makers, journalists and media representatives. As the immediate outcome, recommendations and policies will be developed, that prevent impunity in order to protect journalists and freedom of expression and raise awareness towards the issue of impunity and its effects on journalists’ safety.
Contact: Hala Tannous (Email: h.tannous@unesco.org )
Title: Regional webinar workshop on the Good Practices Framework on Information Processing in relation to Migration in West and Central Africa
Dates: 17 and 18 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: The project titled ‘Empowering Young People in Africa through Media and Communication/IDEI event 2020’ aims at strengthening the capacities of young professionals in media organizations to better identify and meet the information needs of migrant populations, candidates for migration, men and women. It is a question for UNESCO, in accordance with SDG 16.10, of increasing the capacity of African media in the sub-region to better inform young people about the challenges of intra-regional mobility policies, the risks and opportunities of migration (also towards Europe), etc. This has never been so true in the context of the COVID-19, which have profoundly impacted mobility around the globe.
To this end, the UNESCO Dakar and Yaoundé Offices will jointly organize on November 17-18 2020 a virtual regional workshop for the publication of a good practices framework for journalists on the coverage of migration in West and Central Africa, which includes the issue related to the safety of journalists. The target countries include Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. The workshop will gather experts in communication and information, and in migration, to adopt a series of recommendations to be integrated in the document. The event is an opportunity to celebrate the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”.
Contacts: Michel Kenmoe (Email: me.kenmoe@unesco.org) and Joshua Massarenti (Email: j.massarenti@unesco.org)
Title: Create a free and safe media environment for journalists in South Sudan: A 2-day engagement/workshop
Dates: 2-3 November 2020
Place: Juba, South Sudan
Description: A 2-day engagement/workshop will be organised with stakeholders with the aim to educate various stakeholders on issues related to safety of journalists, and freedom of expression, and highlight a way forward on the establishment of the National Mechanism on Safety of Journalists. The event will also be used to raise awareness on the promotion of freedom of expression and the creation of a conducive media environment for journalists and other media workers. In addition, during the event a report highlighting journalists’ incidents that have happened this year and in the past will be presented.
Contact: Doreen Gunne Wudu Loboka (Email: dg.loboka@unesco.org )
Title: Enhancing the Protection of Women Journalists in the Context of Shrinking Democratic Space in Asia
Dates: 10 December 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: Bangkok Office will cooperate with OHCHR and UN Women on a series of webinars for Enhancing the Protection of Women Journalists in the Context of Shrinking Democratic Space in Asia which is planned to be launched on 10 December. The training series is designed to last for 6-8 months between December 2020 to April/June 2021.
Contact: Misako Ito (Email: m.ito@unesco.org )
Title: IDEI Awareness Raising Day in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
Dates: 2 November 2020
Place: Virtual
Description: UNESCO office in Montevideo will dedicate 2 November 2020 to raising awareness around the need to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists in LAC. It includes a 12-minute interview with UNESCO's Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists, Guilherme Canela on France24 in Spanish. The interview will be broadcasted on television and on the canal's website. Additionally, an interview with UNESCO Montevideo's Director, Lidia Brito will be organised to discuss the importance of the day in LAC. The interview will be published in the Colombia newspaper El Tiempo, on 2 November. For more information: https://es.unesco.org/fieldoffice/montevideo.
Contact: Sandra Sharman (Email: s.sharman@unesco.org)