UNICs promote UN Issues

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2006 in Nigeria, UNIC Lagos, in collaboration with Media Rights Agenda (MRA) a Lagos-based NGO, organized a media conference, on Wednesday 3 May 2006. The event was a platform for journalists and leaders of civil society organizations in the country to debate various issues relating to good governance, citizen participation in governance and the role of the media as a vehicle for ensuring the free flow of information necessary to guarantee these ideals. The conference lecture was delivered by Mr Odia Ofeimun, a prominent Nigerian author, veteran journalist and poet. The lecture was followed by two other presentations by the Director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Training School, Dr Samson Shaibu and the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, Mr Edetaen Ojo.

The UN Press Club event was held in Douala, the economic Capital on Tuesday 9 May as part of activities to commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2006.

The objective of the event was to share information about the days’ theme “Media, Development and Poverty Eradication”, as a vital “kicker” to prompt UN Press Club members of Douala into action for the MDGs, since its launch, last November 2005.

Additional events had been held in Bafoussam and Bamenda on 27 and 28 April, respectively, as well as in Buea on 10 May as a link to the World Information Society Day commemorated on Wednesday 17 May 2006.

UNIC Khartoum, in coordination with UNDP and the National Press Council of Sudan, has organized a major event on 3 May, 2006 at the University of Khartoum. Various academics, journalists and civil society representatives attended the event, including the representative of UNESCO in Sudan. The UNIC Information Officer has given interviews for Sudan's TV and for SUNA, the local news agency in which he has talked about the importance of the Day.

After the opening ceremony, four seminars were organized by the UNS and moderated by various renown local academicians and practitioners on four local topics: the right of communication, the situation of press freedom in Sudan, the assessment of media in the South of Sudan and their role in fighting poverty and finally, the role of UNDP in building the capacities of the Sudanese journalists to combat poverty all over the Sudan. A comprehensive presskit containing all relevant documentation was prepared and distributed to all participants.

On the 3rd May, all Journalist based in Lusaka were invited to a world Press Freedom march within town centre to freedom statue where they were to be addressed by various media houses and associations as a show of solidarity. The marchers dressed in T-shirts that were donated by sympathizers had solidarity slogans on them. More than 30 organizations pledged their loyalty to the Freedom of Information and Expression.

On Wednesday 03 May 2006 UNIC Pretoria organized a video-link/ panel discussion with the United Nations offices in Geneva (Switzerland). After reading the message of the Secretary-General on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva and the Director of the United Nations Information Service (Geneva) introduced the panel, consisting of Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo, Special Rapporteur for the freedom of expression, Mr. Brij Khindaria, Journalist and Mr. Daniel Warner, Deputy Director, Graduate Institute of International Studies (Geneva). The panel made brief comments/questions raised by participants both in Pretoria and Geneva on the following topics:

• Protection of journalists and media in conflicts.
• What mechanisms can be set up to guarantee media to do their job in times of war and conflict.
• How to deal with ethics in reporting
• Freedom of expression, constraints
• How to revive reporting on the UN