30 April 2002

UNESCO HOLDS "MEDIA AND TERRORISM" CONFERENCE IN MANILA: AWARD PRESENTED TO GEOFF NYAROTA


UNESCO is holding a two-day conference in Manila, the Philippines, on the theme "Media and Terrorism" to headline its World Press Freedom Day activities this year. "World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2002 will be dedicated to reconsidering what UNESCO can contribute to promoting press freedom and supporting a world-wide culture of free speech," the inter-governmental agency says.

IFEX members taking part in the conference include Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), the International Federation of Journalists, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Media Watch, the Pakistan Press Foundation, Committee to Protect Journalists, the Pacific Islands News Assocation, Article 19, World Press Freedom Committee, the World Association of Newspapers, and the Institute for Studies on the Free Flow of Information.

From 1-2 May, participants will hold panel discussions on various aspects of terrorism and media-related issues. "11 September: The Aftermath - Consequences on Freedom of Information" will examine concerns over various governments' attempts to restrict freedom of expression and access to information in the context of the war on terrorism. "Reporting on Terrorism" will look at the importance of media ethics and professionalism in providing more balanced portrayals of conflicts. Two panels will tackle the issues of "Media in Danger" and "Journalists' Safety," while journalists from such conflict-ridden countries as Colombia, Zimbabwe, Chechnya and Israel-Palestine will present case studies on news media in these places.

Meanwhile, on 3 May, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura will present the 2002 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to Zimbabwean journalist Geoffrey Nyarota at a special ceremony. Nyarota, the editor-in-chief of Zimbabwe's only independent newspaper, The Daily News, "has been tireless in denouncing corruption and criminal activities among top government officials in his country despite two bomb attacks against his paper," says UNESCO. He has been arrested and detained, repeatedly received death threats, and has four libel suits pending against him [See
IFEX "Communiqué" #11-8]. The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year to honour the work of an individual, organization or institution defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world. The prize is named after Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano, murdered for criticising the activities of powerful drug barons in his country.



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Also from the Communiqué, 30 April 2002

SINGAPORE: AUTHOR LAUNCHES BOOK ON INTERNET SURVEILLANCE 30 April 2002 COLOMBIA: FLIP INVITES PRESS FREEDOM PLEDGES FROM PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES 30 April 2002 CANADA: CJFE INVITES PUBLIC TO LUNCH WITH NOTED JOURNALIST 30 April 2002 AZERBAIJAN: JuHI REMEMBERS JOURNALISTS KILLED 30 April 2002 INTERNATIONAL: ARTICLE 19 TO SPEAK AT DEBATE ON MEDIA AND TERRORISM 30 April 2002 INTERNATIONAL: IFJ SOUNDS ALARM ON GLOBALISATION AND MEDIA SAFETY 30 April 2002 INTERNATIONAL: PINA CONDUCTS REGIONAL CRISIS REPORTING WORKSHOP 30 April 2002 NEPAL: CEHURDES LAUNCHES ANNUAL REPORT 30 April 2002 INTERNATIONAL: WAN FOCUSES ON TERRORISM AND PRESS FREEDOM 30 April 2002 INTERNATIONAL: SPECIAL WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 30 April 2002
 
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