WAN says still time to commemorate World Press Freedom Day

WAN has made available essays, opinion pieces, interviews, infographics, editorial cartoons, photographs, advertisements and more for publication on or around 3 May, and has just added protest letters that readers can send to governments that jail journalists or where attacks on journalists are widespread. The materials are available, free of charge, at www.worldpressfreedomday.org.

Theme "Journalists in the Firing Line"

The package, which focuses on the theme, "Journalists in the Firing Line", is available in English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

The new protest letters can be signed and sent to the leaders of Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Eritrea, and Mexico, calling for the release of jailed journalists or, in the case of Mexico, to call for an end to impunity for those who murder journalists. They can be found at www.wan-press.org/3may/2009/sendprotest.php?id=941.

World Press Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the 1991 Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media throughout the world. The Declaration affirms that a free press is essential to the existence of democracy and a fundamental human goal.

Raise awareness

It has become a day to raise awareness of press freedom problems worldwide, and to recognise the sacrifices that independent media and journalists make to keep their societies informed.

WAN is encouraging newspapers everywhere to publish as much of the materials as possible. Download the WAN materials from www.worldpressfreedomday.org.