IMS marks World Press Freedom Day 2015
Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
IMS and our partners around the world are highlighting the importance of press freedom through a number of different events this year for World Press Freedom Day.
Together with UNESCO and a range of other international organisations, IMS is also marking the day at the main World Press Freedom Day event in Riga, Latvia under the theme “Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, and Safety in the Digital Age”. Here, IMS is organising a special session on safety of journalists, looking at how the work of journalists often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence. The session is facilitated by IMS’ Deputy Director Biljana Tatomir.
Joined by Najib Sharifi of the IMS-founded Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committe, Peter Greste of Al Jazeera and several other journalists and editors experienced in the field of journalism safety. Together, they will discuss the challenges for journalists and editors reporting from hostile and dangerous environments, and what can be done to assist them under the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
IMS together with UNESCO and Open Society Foundations is implementing a part of the Plan by engaging with local governments and international stakeholders to build sustainable local mechanisms and foster sharing of knowledge and best practices on improving journalist safety and bringing down impunity levels.
World Press Freedom Day is marked every year on 3 May to celebrate the principles of a free and independent press and to pay tribute to the journalists who are attacked, harassed, imprisoned, tortured and killed for doing their job.
In the lead-up to World Press Freedom Day, International Media Support asked people around the world what freedom of expression meant to them in their daily lives. Check out the many contributions here or send us your thoughts using #MyFreeExpression on Facebook or Twitter.
Click here for more information about the main event marking World Press Freedom Day in Riga.
