UNITED
NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Message
from Dr. Han Seung-soo,
President of the General Assembly
World Press Freedom Day
3 May 2002
Every year on the 3rd of May, the world observes World Press Freedom Day. Established by the General Assembly in 1993, this is the day we celebrate a cornerstone of human interaction and inter-communal understanding.
The day was one of the results of a Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralist African Press, which was held in Namibia in 1991. Other regional seminars have been held since, each emphasizing the importance of a free press but also pointing out the responsibilities attached to this freedom. Press freedom is a basic human right which, if exercised professionally, independently and without bias, can help build democratic practices, educate the general public and curb abuse, corruption and mismanagement in both the private and public sector. However, the freedom of expression has sometimes been used as a foil for inciting hatred, prejudice and even genocide, as has been so horrifically demonstrated in the last decade.
The theme for this
year’s observance of World Press Freedom Day is Terrorism and Media. Since
September 11, we have seen the world struggle to find a balance between
the need to fight terrorism and the need to preserve the freedom of expression,
a right for which so many have fought so hard for so many years. Terrorism,
targeting innocent civilians in general and often journalists in particular,
is abhorrent and, to me, illogical as it is alienating the very institution
whose obligation it is to reflect the diversity of views. Likewise, curbing
press freedom in the name of fighting terrorism could generate a degree
of sympathy for the perpetrators. As the American poet and essayist Henry
David Thoreau said, “It takes two to speak the truth – one to speak and
another to hear.”
Finally, the third of May is the day we pay tribute to the far too many
journalists who have lost their lives trying to inform us of what is going
on in almost every corner of the world, but particularly in zones of conflict
or crisis. Every day, these dedicated professionals subject themselves
to the dangers represented by accidents, natural disasters, landmines
and, increasingly, to the deliberate targeting by the parties to a conflict.
The latter hazard is totally unacceptable, and I would like to take this
opportunity to urge state and non-state actors alike to take all measures
possible to make the media profession a less dangerous one.