Journalism plays a vital role in the proper functioning of democracies. This is because the news media informs people about important events and how the government functions. Thus, the media is referred to as the fourth estate or the ‘watchdog’ of society. World Press Freedom Day is observed every year on May 3.
It is a day set aside by UNESCO to raise awareness of the influence that the press and media have on society and daily life. The theme for this year is, “Shaping a future of rights: freedom of expression as the engine of other human rights.” “This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s decision to proclaim International Press Freedom Day,” stated UNESCO.
World Press Day was established on 3 May 1993 by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) after the recommendation adopted at the 26th session of UNESCO’s general conference. This declaration served as a response to the Windhoek Declaration, which was drafted in 1991 by African journalists attending a seminar hosted by UNESCO to explore press freedom. Since then, Amy 3 is observed as World Press Freedom Day.
#WorldPressFreedomDay trends on Twitter
UN Chief Antonio Guterres said, “All our freedom depends on press freedom. But in every corner of the world, freedom of the press is under attack. On #WorldPressFreedomDay & every day, the world must stand with journalists as they stand for the truth.”
“On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, I convey my best wishes to my media friends, who have been dedicatedly working to keep the people informed,” Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wrote.
KPCC President D. K. Shivakumar tweeted, “On #WorldPressFreedomDay, let us strive to keep our democratic values intact by ensuring that the voice of the common man is heard and press freedom is safeguarded even in the most dangerous times.”
“Responsible journalism is the hallmark of a society vested in democracy. The right of a citizen to social knowledge can only be safeguarded by the right of a journalist to diligently report facts,” wrote Sadhguru.
