United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
Remarks by Prof Hubert Gijzen, Regional Director and Representative on the occasion of
2016 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Theme : Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms
This Is Your Right!
Hon. Chris Mushowe, Minister of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services
Hon. Ms. , Deputy Minister
Dr Regis Chikore, Principle Director
Ms. Margaret Chirapa, Secretary General, Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO
Journalists and media representatives
Ladies and gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to join you today to commemorate the 2016 World Press Freedom Day. This day highlights the links between press freedom, a culture of openness, the right to access information, and sustainable development in the digital age.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones:
•The 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland;
•The 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles;
•The year 2016 is also the first year of the new 15 year global development agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In 2014 UNESCO organised the Global Media Forum in Bali, Indonesia, to discuss the important role that media have in the design and implementation of the Post-2015 development agenda, which is now known as Agenda 2030, composed of 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The outcome statement of the Forum entitled – « The Bali Roadmap The Roles of Media in realising the future we want for all » - identified two key roles of media : a) to inform and enlighten the public about the issues, challenges, background and programmes to address the SDGs, and b) to give a voice to and provide a platform for all stakeholders and the general public to exchange ideas and opinions. In this way, quality media will help to accellerate the implementation of the SDGs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year’s theme is « Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms – This Is Your Right ». This theme is designed to advocate for a strong and robust media, that is professional and ethical enough to carry-out balanced and un-biased reporting. However, in Zimbabwe and in the Southern African region, the media is weakening. Many newspapers are not sustainable, resulting in their closure as well as journalists being retrenched.
On this day, when we celebrate World Press Freedom, let’s remind ourselves that the public right to access information can only be achieved with a sustainable, independent and diverse media.
It is now my pleasure to deliver the 2016 World Press Freedom Day official speech from the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova.
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