World Press Freedom Day
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed World Press Freedom Day in December 1993, following a recommendation from UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration has been celebrated around the world on May 3rd as World Press Freedom Day.
The origins of World Press Freedom Day date back to a conference organized by UNESCO in Windhoek in 1991. The conference was held on May 3rd and adopted the historic Windhoek Declaration for the development of a free, independent, and pluralistic press. Thirty years after the adoption of this declaration, the historical connection between the freedom to seek, impart, and receive information, on one hand, and the public benifit, on the other, remains just as important. A series of events will be held to mark the 30th anniversary of the Declaration during the International Conference for World Press Freedom Day.
May 3rd serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. It is an opportunity to:
* Celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom.
* Assess the state of press freedom throughout the world.
* Defend the media from attacks on their independence.
We honor the journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty
