IFJ at World Press Freedom Day in Namibia

Information as a public good is the subject of World Press Freedom Day, held in Windhoek, Namibia, 30 years after the Windhoek Declaration (3 May 1991). It remains a seminal event for the development of a free, independent and pluralistic press. World Press Freedom Day has its origins in the UNESCO conference in Windhoek. Below you will find the programme with the participation of the IFJ and its regions.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

 

Registration: HERE

 

30 APRIL - PRE-CONFERENCE DAY

 

Regional Forums

The global conference is connecting with the regional World Press Freedom Day celebrations, building upon the historic series of regional seminars triggered by the 1991 Seminar in Windhoek, which inspired regional declarations to promote a free, independent, and pluralistic press, in meetings held in Alma-Ata (1992), Santiago (1994), Sana’a (1996), and Sofia (1997).

  • 08:00-10:30 - Asia and the Pacific Forum : Ika Ningtyas, Secretary General of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) - Indonesia
  • 09:00-11:00 - Europe Forum, 26 Years After the Sofia Declaration, organized by UNESCO with the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom of the European University Institute, Renate Schroder,​ ​Director, European Federation of Journalists
  • 09:00-12:30 - Africa Forum, 30 Years After the Windhoek Declaration [interpretation in EN/FR] : Omar Faruk, Executive Director, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), and Roland Affail Money, President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA)
  • 10:30-12:30 - Centra Asia Forum, 29 years after the Alma-Ata Declaration [interpretation in EN/RU] : Dainius Radzevičius, Head of the Lithuanian Union of Journalists.
  • 16:00-19:00 - Latin American and the Caribbean Forum, 26 Years After Santiago Declaration [interpretation in EN/SP] : Zuliana Lainez, Secretary General of the National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP) and President of Journalists of Latin America and the Caribbean (FEPALC) 

 

12:00 - 13:00

Countering Digital Disinformation while respecting Freedom of Expression, an event part of the WSIS Forum

The Future of the African Media, by the Federation of African Journalists

  • Charmaine Ngatjiheue, Namibia Union of Media Professionals Union (NAMPU)
  • Erick Odour, Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ)
  • Marion Obam Vivian Medjo, National Union of Cameroon Journalists (SNJC)
  • Omar Faruk Osman, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
  • Peter Quaqua, West African Journalists Association

 

13:00 - 14:00

  • Digital and physical threats, financial pressure, access to information: How can investigative journalism survive in a hostile world?, hosted by Forbidden Stories
  • The Future of the African Media, organized by the Federation of African Journalists

14:00 - 15:00

  • Opening dialogue between Zukiswa Potye, CEO of the South African Media Development and Diversity Agency, and Rod Sims, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman, moderated by Guy Berger

Thematic Plenary on Media Viability "A Pillar for Information as a Public Good" [interpretation in EN/FR] :  Beth Costa, Secretary General, Brazilian journalists’ union FENAJ 

 

16:00 - 16:30

  • Launch the ‘Global Drive for Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists’ – with the support by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by OHCHR and UNESCO
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17:00 - 18:00

  • African media policy in the digital age - in memory of 30 years of the Windhoek Declaration and the lifework of press freedom activist Jeanette Minnie, in partnership with the Namibia Media Trust
  • Arts and creativity as public goods: Promoting diverse culture contents in the digital environment, hosted by UNESCO
  • At the nexus of hatred and disinformation: women journalists targeted by organised online campaigns, organized by UNESCO and ICFJ

 

1 MAY - PARTNERS' DAY

A day to listen inspiring stories from individuals making a difference on freedom of expression

 

11:00 - 12:00

#PressFreedomIsMyFreedom "Watch Party", by the Namibia Media Trust, Fesmedia Africa and Deutsche Welle Akademie at the amphitheater of the Windhoek Zoo Park

 

The event will end with a Minute of silence called by Namibia Media Professionals Union (NAMPU), IFJ affiliate.

 

12:00-13:00

=> Remember the dead, fight for the living - A tribute to journalists who have died from Covid-19, in partnership with the International Federation of Journalists.

  • Beth Costa, FENAJ
  • Bojana Laković Konatar, Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
  • Dr Mohammed Mwamadzingo, Bureau for Workers’ Activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO/ACTRAV)
  • Ihtsham ul haq, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
  • Jeremy Dear, International Federation of Journalists
  • Omar Faruk Osman, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
  • + videos from our IFJ unions in Palestine, Peru, El Salvador, Yemen and Cambodia

 

    13:00 - 14:00

    • ‘Recite and Take Action’ Festival: Journalists and journalistic writers reading favorite pages about stories making a difference in the defence of press freedom, in partnership with Gabriel Garcia Marquez Foundation. Recordings will also de available as podcasts.
    • Release of the World Press Freedom Voices, short video messages from members of the community celebrating World Press Freedom Day across the world.
    • Younes​ Mjahed, President, International Federation of Journalists​ ​(​video​)​

     

     

    # 2 MAY - GLOBAL OPENING AND PLENARIES*

     

    14:00 - 15:00

    • Welcome Performance by the National Cultural Group 

    15:00 - 16:00

    • Global Opening Ceremony and Opening Talk Show: Information is a Public Good - Anthony Bellanger​, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)​

    17:00 - 18:00

    • UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize Award Ceremony, followed by an interview with 2021 Laureate [interpretation EN/FR]

     

    * interpretation in EN/FR will be available in all sessions

     

    # 3 MAY - CLOSING AND PLENARIES*

     

    09:30 - 11:00

    • Thematic Plenary on Media and Information Literacy: A Pillar for Information as a Public Good

    11:00 - 12:00

    • Plenary "Voices from the regions"

    12:00 - 13:00

    • Thematic Plenary on Transparency: A Pillar for Information as a Public Good

    13:00 - 13:30

    • Wrap-up Plenary and adoption of the Windhoek + 30 Declaration

    13:30 - 14:00

    Closing and hand-over to 2022 World Press Freedom Day host

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

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