Journalism at the time of misinformation

Paris, April 30 – Relations between the press and democracy will be the main theme of this year's edition of World Press Freedom Day (May 3) organized jointly by UNESCO, the Ethiopian Government and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1 to 3 May. More than a hundred events will also take place around the world on the occasion of the day.

How can journalism go beyond emotional content and false information during an election? What must be done to counter the speeches that depress journalists? To what extent should electoral regulations be applied to the Internet? This year's World Press Freedom Day, which focuses on "Media for Democracy, Journalism and Disinformation Elections", will be an opportunity to reflect on these issues. news.

A university conference to be held on May 1st will present new research on the safety of journalists. It will promote dialogue between researchers and political actors working on common topics. The conference will focus on the safety of women journalists as well as those covering elections. The program me also includes a "lab" dedicated to a discussion on online harbadment of women journalists and various thematic sessions, including media and elections in Africa, and media reform in Ethiopia.

On 2 May, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay will launch the major event marking the celebration alongside Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe, and the Commission of the African Union. Vice President, Amb. Kwesi Quartey.

In total, more than a thousand participants are expected, including representatives from civil society, media, professional badociations, academia and the justice sector. Parallel and plenary sessions on strengthening the role of the media in the face of new challenges and on understanding the links between the media, democracy and elections will be held in parallel with the conference.

Highlights include the award ceremony of the UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on the evening of 2 May. The prize will be awarded, on the recommendation of an independent international jury, to Audrey Azoulay's imprisoned journalists Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone, in the presence of Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, and the Vice-President of the Commission of the African Union, Amb. Kwesi Quartey.

Throughout the conference, a press room will be available to young professionals and journalism students to report on daily activities and give the next generation of journalists the opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world. .

This year, UNESCO also launched the Defend Journalism campaign, which encourages the media to show their solidarity for a free and independent press with banners on their print publications and digital platforms.

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, following the recommendations of the 26th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in 1991. It celebrates the fundamental principles of freedom of the press, badesses the state of the press freedom in the world and defends the media against attacks on their independence, and pays tribute to journalists who lost their lives in the exercise of their duties .