World Press Freedom Day being observed today
The World Press Freedom Day is being observed across the world today. This year the theme of this day is to optimise the use of internet and digital media to promote press freedom and make governance and development process more accountable.
THE WORLD Press Freedom Day is being celebrated across the world today on May 3. The day is observed to reinforce the fundamental principles of press freedom that comprise the ability of the press to operate without any fear and to defend it against attacks by vested interests. The World Press Freedom day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on December 20, 1993 and since then it is celebrated on May 3 every year. This day is also known as the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a document calling for free, independent, pluralistic media across the world.
The focus of World Press Freedom Day this year is on how to use the potential of the Internet and digital media to make journalism more effective in contributing to freedom of expression, making governments more accountable and to promote sustainable development.
An appeal is also being made to member nations of UN to reiterate their commitment to freedom of expression on the Internet and off it. The digital media has revolutionised the media space, particularly the online social netwroks and micro-blogging and blogging tools as such all the stakeholders will be asked to further the internet as a global public resource.
Despite the new media tools making it very easy for the common citizens to express their opinions, yet at the same time technology is easily enabling setting up new barriers, blocks and filters to prevent the flow of information. To ensure that media can operate in free space online, efforts will be made to ensure that countries and organisations that are engaged in curbing press freedom are persuaded to become more open and give space to dissenting voices.
In view of this situation, the UNESCO on World Press Freedom Day will aim to optimise the potential of the internet, while ensuring that there is no compromise on civil liberties and right to freedom of expression and privacy.
This year the prestigious UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize has been given to imprisoned Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi. He is the former editor-in-chief of Azad newspaper and is also a professor of Political Science.
An appeal is also being made to member nations of UN to reiterate their commitment to freedom of expression on the Internet and off it. The digital media has revolutionised the media space, particularly the online social netwroks and micro-blogging and blogging tools as such all the stakeholders will be asked to further the internet as a global public resource.
Despite the new media tools making it very easy for the common citizens to express their opinions, yet at the same time technology is easily enabling setting up new barriers, blocks and filters to prevent the flow of information. To ensure that media can operate in free space online, efforts will be made to ensure that countries and organisations that are engaged in curbing press freedom are persuaded to become more open and give space to dissenting voices.
In view of this situation, the UNESCO on World Press Freedom Day will aim to optimise the potential of the internet, while ensuring that there is no compromise on civil liberties and right to freedom of expression and privacy.
This year the prestigious UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize has been given to imprisoned Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi. He is the former editor-in-chief of Azad newspaper and is also a professor of Political Science.
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