The World Association of Newspapers invites you to join in the World Press Freedom Day campaign which is dedicated this year to press freedom in China, the world's biggest jailer of journalists.
More than 30 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents are locked up in its prisons.
On 3 May, thousands of newspapers worldwide will show their support for press freedom by publishing materials made available by WAN. These materials provide a multimedia, in-depth look at the Chinese press freedom situation, including:
- Public service advertisements created by major advertising agencies and by WAN, drawing attention to China's lack of press freedom as viewers watch and enjoy the Olympic Games. Available at http://www.wan-press.org/3may/2008/articles.php?id=699
- Photographs that newspapers can use to illustrate the articles and other materials, provided by Agence France-Presse expressly for the World Press Freedom Day initiative. Available at http://www.wan-press.org/3may/2008/photos.php?id=663
- Special features to be used in Young Reader programmes that encourage young people to become aware and active in the fight for press freedom in China. Available at http://www.wan-press.org/3may/2008/articles.php?id=691
The materials, which newspapers can use without charge, are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Chinese. For full details, go to http://www.worldpressfreedomday.org
We hope that you will join newspapers from around the world and use these materials so that your audience will be informed of the press freedom situation in China on 3 May. With your support and a record number of foreign journalists headed for Beijing for the Summer Olympics, we are sure to maximise awareness of this critical situation.