Today is World Press Freedom Day which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence, and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The theme of World Press Freedom Day this year is, Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation. The 26th celebration of World Press Freedom Day is jointly organized by UNESCO, African Union Commission and the Government of Ethiopia.
The main event is being held at the African Union Headquarters at Addis Ababa. On World Press Freedom Day, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has urged media to play a constructive role in strengthening democratic values and focus on people-centric issues such as health, education, women’s welfare, agriculture and rural India.