| In 1991, the
United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
recommended the UN General Assembly to
proclaim 3 May as the World Press Freedom
Day. Recognizing the importance of a
free, pluralistic and independent press
in any democratic society, the UN General
Assembly declared 3 May as the World
Press Freedom Day on 20 December 1993.
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Throughout
the world, 3 May serves as an occasion to inform
the public on violations of the right to freedom
of expression and as a reminder that many
journalists brave death or jail to bring people
their daily news.
- a day
of action to encourage and develop
initiatives in favor of the freedom of
the press;
- a day
to assess the state of press freedom
worldwide;
- a day
to remind governments to respect their
commitments to press freedom;
- a day
to alert the public and to increase
awareness of the importance of freedom of
the press;
- a day
of reflection to encourage debate among
media professionals on the issues of
press freedom and professional ethics;
- a day
of remembrance for journalists who have
lost their lives in the exercise of their
profession;
- a day
of support for media which fall victim to
any measures which restrain, or seek to
abolish, freedom of the press.
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| Special Event 3 May 2001
UNESCO will award the Guillermo
Cano Prize to U Win
Tin ,
an imprisoned Burmese Writer. U Win Tin is the
former editor of the Burmese daily "Hanthawati",
vice president of the Burmese Writers'
Association, and one of the founders of the
National League for Democracy.
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| Violations of Press
Freedom in Asia Hotline-Asia would like
to take this special occasion to remind you that
in Asia there are still many publications being
censored and journalists being harassed,
attacked, imprisoned, detained and even murdered
[e.g. in Sri Lanka: UA001030(14) and in Bangladesh: UA010223(2)]
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| Sites
for Further Information United Nations
Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
International Freedom of
Expression Exchange (IFEX)
World Association of
Newspapers
Freedom
House:
Press Freedom Survey 2001
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