Newspaper & Mailroom

Safety of Journalists To Be Highlighted at World News Media Congress in Washington

Friday 29. May 2015 - In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks and the growing number of journalists under threat world-wide, the opening of the World News Media Congress in Washington, D.C., on Monday will have a strong focus on the safety of journalists and how such attacks impact their ability to carry out their essential role.

The opening day of the three-day Congress, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in cooperation with the Newspaper Association of America, will include presentations by government officials, intergovernmental organizations and leading news organizations about the increasing dangers faced by independent media around the world.
The events include:
– A presentation by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova on the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also address the gathering.
– A panel discussion, “Killing the Messenger: What the Media Should Do to Protect Itself and Fight Back,” featuring Vivian Salama, Baghdad Bureau Chief for The Associated Press, Douglas Jehl, Foreign Editor of The Washington Post, Zaffar Abbas, Editor of Dawn in Parkistan, and Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director of the International Women’s Media Foundation. The panel is co-organized by WAN-IFRA and The Associated Press.
— A presentation by Phil Chetwynd, Global Editor-in-Chief of Agence France-Presse, on some of the difficult decisions that lie behind global news coverage.
— A discussion between The Washington Post’s Executive Editor, Martin Baron, and Maria Ressa, Executive Editor and CEO of the news start-up Rappler in the Philippines and former Manila and Jakarta bureau chief for CNN, on the evolving profession.
— Presentation and ceremony for the Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual WAN-IFRA press freedom prize, to “Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty,” an exceptional award that highlights the on-going tragedy of those who make the ultimate sacrifice for the right to freedom of expression. More than 1,100 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1992.
The 67th World News Media Congress, the 22nd World Editors Forum, the 25th World Advertising Forum and the inaugural World News Media Policy Forum are the global summit meetings of the world’s press. More than 1,000 publishers, chief editors, CEOs, managing directors and other senior news publishing executives and their guests are expected in Washington from 1 to 3 June for the events.