🚀 go-pugleaf

From the IFEX "COMMUNIQUE" # 6-40                14 October 1997

UNESCO CREATES UNIT FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND DEMOCRACY

In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) has created a special Unit for Freedom of
Expression and Democracy. UNESCO says, "The Unit will form
partnerships with international, non-governmental and professional
organizations and other groups to consolidate its worldwide mandate to
promote and defend freedom of expression, democracy, peace and
tolerance around the globe."

The Unit's activities will be centred around three main
programmes. First, a programme entitled "Freedom of Expression,
Cornerstone of Democracy" will hold activities "related to the
promotion of freedom of expression as the basic element in the
maintenance and reinforcement of democracy around the world." The
chief activity will be to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This project includes the
organisation of colloquia, a worldwide campaign to inform the public,
and the establishment of UNESCO Chairs in Freedom of Expression in
some universities around the world.

Under the heading "Freedom of the Press, an integral Component of
Freedom of Expression", activities for the second programme will
include all the preparations and celebration of 3 May, World Press
Freedom Day. Other activities include support for the International
Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) Clearing House. This programme
will be responsible for the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom
Award, to be announced on 3 May.

Finally, the "Freedom of Expression, Prerequisite for Peace and
Tolerance" programme will include all the activities related to
promoting freedom of expression as a key element in fostering
tolerance, achieving peace and preventing the outbreak of new
conflict in zones of tension. The main objective will be to
continue to provide assistance to independent media in zones of
conflict. Furthermore, a series of meetings in different world
regions of media editors for the promotion of tolerance and a
culture of peace will be organized.

For more information, or to submit a nomination for the
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award (the deadline for
applications is 31 October), contact the Unit for Freedom of
Expression and Democracy at 1, rue Miollis, 75732 Paris cedex 15,
France; tel: +33 1 45 68 42 12; fax: +3 1 45 68 55 84; e-mail:
s.coudray@unesco.org.

** ** **

The IFEX "Communique" is published weekly in English, French and
Spanish by the IFEX Clearing House, Toronto. The facility is
operated by the Canadian Committee to Protect Journalists (CCPJ)
in partnership with the member organizations of the International
Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). Contact the IFEX CH at CCPJ,
490 Adelaide Street West, Suite 205, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1T2,
CANADA; Tel: (1-416) 703-1638; Fax: (1-416) 703-7034; or E-mail:
ifex@web.net. WWW site: http://www.ifex.org/. "Communique" Editor:
Kristina Stockwood. Subscriptions are available by e-mail and surface
mail. The views expressed in the "Communique" are the responsibility
of the sources to which they are attributed.
___________________________________________________
Bruce Girard             Agencia Informativa Pulsar
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
http://www.web.net/amarc/pulsar.html
Fono/Fax: +593-2-501 180 o 551 674
Fax en Montreal, Canada: +1-514-221-2009
Av. Atahualpa 333, Casilla 17-08-8489, Quito, Ecuador