Addis Ababa — All is set for the 26th World Press Freedom Day celebrations which take place at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa from 1-3 May.
Jointly organized by UNESCO, the Ethiopian government and the African Union Commission with the support of the ECA, the international conference will focus on the role of the media in elections and democracy.
Titled; Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation, the global conference will be attended by over 1000 participants and high-profile speakers, including Presidents and Prime Ministers, representatives from governmental and international organizations, the media, academia and civil society.
The worldwide commemoration theme concerns the current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media's potential in supporting peace and reconciliation.
The 2019 theme is closely interlinked with the objectives of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the African Union's Agenda 2063, which seeks to promote "an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law".
Agenda 2063 has earmarked, under its Aspiration 3, a specific goal on "Democratic values, practices, universal principles of human rights, justice and the rule of law entrenched".
The goal has also identified that democratic values, practices, universal principles of human rights, justice and the rule of law are entrenched as one of its priority areas to be realized by 2023.
This is through ensuring that at least 70 percent of the people perceive the press and exchange of information is free and the freedom of expression prevails.
UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Moez Chakchouk, says Ethiopia's decision to host the event "illustrates the Ethiopian government's commitment to democratic reforms, especially in the media sector, which has opened up the space for media freedoms and for strengthening the respect for human rights in the country including online freedom of expression".
Since 1993, when the UN General Assembly declared 3 May World Press Freedom, this day has represented an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom and develop joint initiatives in this area.
It also serves to remind citizens that in many countries around the world, censorship remains rife, while journalists, editors and publishers continue to be harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize will be awarded during the event to a deserving individual, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom.
For online registration, please click on this link: https://en.unesco.org/news/registrations-now-open-world-press-freedom-day-2019-addis-ababa
