The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, jointly organizing the World Press Freedom Conference (WPFC) to celebrate the 27th edition of World Press Freedom Day, are calling for proposals for sessions at the Conference and pre-registration for participants.
The hosts had planned to hold the World Press Freedom Conference from April 22 to 24 at the World Forum in The Hague but it has now been rescheduled for October 18 to 20 at the same venue. The Conference will be a joint celebration of World Press Freedom Day (May 3) and the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (November2).
The theme for this year’s conference is Journalism without fear or favour and is focused on celebrating independent journalism and standing up against media capture. The Windhoek Declaration recognises media independence as a necessary condition to ensure press freedom. However, persisting and emerging forms of media control hamper press freedom and threaten media independence worldwide.
The World Press Freedom Conference is taking place within the context of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations in The Hague, international city of peace and justice.
It will feature high-level speakers from the media, civil society, the arts, the political sphere and the judiciary. The first two days will be dedicated to debate and exchange in the form of plenary debates and breakout sessions. “Festival Day” will encourage creative explorations of the theme, including workshops, performances, film screenings, mentoring sessions and other formats.
The event will also feature the annual WPFD Academic Conference on the Safety of Journalists and a Youth Newsroom, which will involve media students from all over the world covering the event live.
A major highlight of the event will be the award ceremony of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2020, which recognizes a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom.
National events to celebrate World Press Freedom Day are usually organized around the world on or around May3.
