UNESCO Chooses Tunisia to Host Annual World Press Freedom Day Conference

UNESCO Press and Media Development team meeting in Tunis on January 24th, 2012

Tunisia has been chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to host its upcoming annual conference for the World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd, 2012. The conference is scheduled to take place on May 4th and 5th, 2012, entitled New Voices: Freedom of Press and Its Role in the  Changing of Society.

World Press Freedom Day celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom in the world and is intended to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while on duty.

Guy Berger, director of the UNESCO Press and Media Development team, held a meeting in Tunis on January 24th, 2012, with a delegation at the UNESCO’s national commission in Tunis. He indicated that UNESCO chose Tunisia because it is “the birthplace of the Arab Spring.” The conference will allow the international community to gauge the prospect of Tunisian media to succeed through the democratic transition.

Berger also stated that he counts on Tunisian journalists to contribute to the success of the conference, which will be attended by the UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova. A UNESCO prize for Freedom of Press will be awarded during the conference ceremony. Sylvie Coudray, the head of the Freedom of Expression and Media Development team at UNESCO, reviewed the main themes that will be discussed during the conference, among them are the role of a free press in changing societies and barriers to information access.

The conference will also pay tribute to Tunisian youth and their role in the building of new societies. Representatives of Tunisian media outlets present at the meeting on the 24th presented propositions for the success of the upcoming conference and suggested means to reinforce links with UNESCO.

Around 150 people are expected to participate in this conference

Source: TAP, UNESCO