WPFD 2010: UNESCO Office for Iraq

3 May 2010; Alwiya club, Firdous Square BaghdadUNESCO’s Office for Iraq is planning to organize a series of activities to be held in Baghdad in celebration of World Press Freedom Day: 

Press Conference: Alwiya 

During a press conference in the morning of 3 May, an open letter on freedom of information (FOI) will be presented and delivered to the relevant ministries by press advocacy groups. 

Agenda: 

10 am opening: 

10-10:10 Opening statement and video transmission from the Special Representative of the United Nations-Secretary General for Iraq (SRSG), Ad Melkert 

10:15-10:25 Opening statement from the US Embassy, Adnan Siddiqi, Information Officer 

10:30-10:45 Open letter to the Government of Iraq read by Nadjha Kadhim, of Temkin press advocacy group 

MOMENT OF SILENCE: Called for by Ziyad al-Ajili, JFO 

10:35-11:00 Opening remarks (5 minutes each): 
•Muya’ad al-Lami,Director Iraq Journalist Syndicate (IJS) 
•Hamid Mohammed Ali,Deputy Director Kurdistan Journalist Syndicate (KJS) 
•Abdul Karim al-Sudani, Chairman IMN 

11:00-12:30 PANEL 1: ACCESS OF INFORMATION IN IRAQ

MODERATOR: Ahmed Al-Abyadh (CMC board member) 
•Mufeed Al-Jaza'iri, former head of Media & Culture Committee COR 
•Alia Talib, Editor in Chief Meshed Magazine 
•Ahmed Al-Mehhanna, editor-in-chief of Al-A'lam newspaper 
•Nader Mushi Wad,Kurdistan Journalist Syndicate (KJS) 


1:00 – 2:30 PANEL 2: OVERVIEW OF MEDIA LEGISLATION IN IRAQ 

MODERATOR:Dr. Karim Sheghaidel, Director, Strategic Studies Center of Iraqi Media Network (IMN) 
•Salim Rothan Al-Moussawi, Judge at Federal Supreme Court, media law specialist 
•Ahmed Abdul Majeed, Editor in Chief, Azzaman newspaper 
•Sa'eed Yaseen, head of Alliance for Integrity network (a network supported by UNDP) 
•Hasan Shaban, media law expert 

Production of a 2-5 minute pre-recording, to be screened during UNESCO´s official celebrations of World Press Freedom Day in Brisbane, Australia 

It will consist of a short film on the importance of freedom of information for Iraqi Press, and the challenges that still face them. It is to be screened as part Zuhair Al Jezairy´s presentation during World Press Freedom Day in Brisbane, Australia. Suggested interviewees include: 

Imad al-Ebadi, Director of Al-Diyar tv, who was almost assassinated last November, shot in the head and neck, medically evacuated to Germany, and has now returned to Iraq. 

Ziyad al-Ajili of the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO). 

Uday Hatem of the Society to Defend Press Freedom (awarded a human rights prize by France in 2009). 
Nadjha Kadhum, member of Temkin.  

Open letter on Freedom of Information to be read during World Press Freedom Day in Brisbane, Australia 

As part of his presentation during World Press Freedom Day, Zuhair Al Jezairy (Aswat Al-Iraq News Agency) will read out loud the freedom of information letter drafted as part of the World Press Freedom Day initiative in Baghdad. 

ACTIVITIES TO TAKE PLACE IN THE HALL OUTSIDE THE MEETINGIN ALWIYA CLUB(all day) 
Bloggers: Alwiya, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Australia 
Participation of young Iraqi bloggers who will be present at event all day – and will feed out updates continuously – threads to be picked up by regional counterparts in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria. Events will be streamed live by the bloggers. IREX IT trainer will be holding trainings on blogging throughout the day, encouraging participants to contribute to blogs about the event. 

>>See blog here 

Photojournalism exhibition: Organized by the Young Photographers Association 
The exhibition will have two themes. The first will feature violations against journalists, and the second is the future: hopes and visions for Iraq’s future, illustrating along with the explosions, there are people who are working to have a better future. 

Political Cartoon exhibition: Organized by the Iraqi Association of Cartoonists 
Exhibition featuring satirical cartoons by Iraq’s most famous cartoonists. There will be a small booklet made available with reprints of the cartoons available at the exhibition. 

New media exhibition 
The Iraqi Media Institute (IMI), a Baghdad based media training center, will be demonstrating various new media technologies and software. They will also create a website for 3 May, for uploading of photos and video of the event. 

Al-Sumarriya television will present MOBISION, a program they use which sends their television program over mobile phones. 

News agencies' activities 
Several news agencies will be on site airing their sites: Sumer news agency from Al-Sumarriya news channel, NINA news agency, Aswat Al-Iraq news agency and Ur news agency 


Newspaper kiosk 
A traditional kiosk for selling newspapers will be set up, distributing newspapers issued on 3 May to the attendees free of charge. 

>>See Pictures of the Celebration of World Press Freedom Day in Baghdad 

UNESCO WPFD 2010, Baghdad : Our partners: 

UNDP, IREX, IWPR 

Temkin: 
•Najha Kadhim – Director of Ur News Agency 
•Mahir Faisal Shahir – Professional journalist 
•Ziyad Al-Ajili – Head of JFO 
•Huda Jasim – Director of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat office in Iraq 

The Iraqi organizations and media participating in the event are: 
•The Young Photographers Society 
•The Iraqi Association for Cartoonists 
•Iraqi Media Institute (IMI) 
•Aswat Al-Iraq news agency 
•Tawasul Co. for Distribution, Publishing and Advertisement 
•Al-Sumarriya satellite channel 
•National Media Center 
•Iraqi Journalists Syndicate (IJS) 
•Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate (KJS) 
•Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO) 
•Enabling Independent Iraqi Press (Temkin organization) 
•Ur News Agency 
•Sumarriya news 
•NINA news agency 
•Al-Marsad news 

Representatives: KRG: 
•Abdulhameed Muhammad Sa’ed, who has been working for Aswat-aliraq, AFP, Radio Al-hura and Payamner News Agency 
•Bayar Yassin Hussein, who has already worked in Gali Kurdistan Radio as a reporter and currently works for Al-Rasheed TV in Mosul as correspondent 
•Ayad Naqeeb Khan Avdal, who has been working for almost 15 years in field of Journalism, has served in Amro newspaper, Aknews agency and currently works for Al-Iraqiya TV as a correspondent 
•Hamed Muhammad Ali, with a master’s degree in Media, he is Media Director of Kurdistan Islamic Union party, Editor-in-chief of Yakgrtu newspaper and currently is the deputy of Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate´s chief 
•Nader Mushi Wad, who has long been involved in the media field, and is currently the Ashur Media Office Director, Editor-in-chief of a magazine that belongs to the Ashur party (minority Media), as well as a member of Kurdistan Syndicate Council