Commemorate World Press Freedom Day

3 May 2011

PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Thousands of newspapers world-wide will commemorate World Press Freedom Day today, 3 May, by publishing thoughtful editorial and provocative advertising materials from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). There is still time to join them.

WAN-IFRA has made available essays, opinion pieces, interviews, infographics, editorial cartoons, photographs, advertisements and more for publication on or around 3 May, and has just added an editorial from The Elders, an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. The materials are available, free of charge, at http://www.worldpressfreedomday.org.

The package, which focuses on the theme, "Silence kills democracy, but a free press talks," is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian and for the first time, Arabic.

The ongoing demonstrations for freedom in the Arab world is the subject of the new op-ed piece contributed by The Elders, written by two members of the group: Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland and a Nobel laureate, and Lakhdar Brahimi, former foreign minister of Algeria and former UN special envoy.

"As we have seen repeatedly throughout the world, censorship and control of information serves the interest of the privileged few; the rule of law is negatively affected, human rights ignored and impunity and corruption unchecked," they write.

"In contrast, a free, diverse and responsible media promotes transparency and accountability, informs public debate and helps to ensure governments address the concerns and aspirations of all citizens. "

More about The Elders can be found at http://www.theelders.org/

WAN-IFRA is encouraging newspapers everywhere to publish as much of the materials as possible. Download the materials from http://www.worldpressfreedomday.org

Newspapers are also being encouraged to take up the "white space" challenge by printing white space on their front pages, to symbolise what would be missing without a free press.

WAN-IFRA's World Press Freedom Day initiative benefits from contributions by Agence France-Presse, Getty Images, the World Editors Forum and the Russian Guild of Press Publishers (GIPP).