Note to Correspondents

SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS, IMPUNITY TO BE THEME AS UNITED NATIONS OBSERVES

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY AT HEADQUARTERS ON 3 MAY

 

The United Nations Department of Public Information will observe World Press Freedom Day with an event scheduled for Thursday, 3 May, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Conference Room 1 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

As is customary, this observance is held within the framework of this year’s annual session of the Committee on Information (30 April to 11 May 2007).

The ceremony will feature messages from the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  Rudolf Christian, Chairman of the Committee on Information, and Tuyet Nguyen, President of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA), will also participate in the opening segment.

A panel discussion -- part of the weekly DPI/NGO briefings programme -- on “The United Nations and Freedom of the Press: What more can be done?” will follow.  The discussion aims to provide an opportunity for panellists to give an analysis of the way in which the United Nations delivers its message to the press and how that process can be improved, as well as what more the United Nations can do to protect the safety of journalists.  The latter is in line with UNESCO’s theme for the day this year: “Press Freedom, Safety of Journalists and Impunity”.

Speakers will include Evelyn Leopold, Bureau Chief, Reuters United Nations office; Juan Francisco Ealy Ortiz, Publisher, El Universal, Mexico, and a member of the Inter-American Press Association; Laura Trevelyan, United Nations Correspondent, BBC; Abderrahim Foukara, United Nations Bureau Chief, Al Jazeera Arabic for the Americas; and Josh Friedman, Director of International Programmes, Columbia School of Journalism.

For additional information, please contact Robin Della Rocca, Associate Information Officer, Non-Governmental Organization Section, Department of Public Information, at tel.: 917 367 8020 or e-mail: dellarocca@un.org; or Suzanne Bilello, Senior Public Information and Liaison Officer, UNESCO New York office, at tel.: 212 963 4386 or e-mail: bilello@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record