jamaica.gov.jm
UNESCO Head Arrives In Island For World Press Freedom Conference
Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), arrived in the island yesterday (May 1) for his first official visit to the country.
Speaking to journalists on his arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, the Director-General, who opened the World Press Freedom Conference today (May 2) at the Jamaica Conference Centre, noted that freedom of the press was an important part of any democracy.
He noted that while press freedom was well established in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, this was not the case in a number of other nations. He expressed the hope that the annual observation of World Press Freedom will send a strong signal to those countries that censored the press. Mr. Matsuura said that UNESCO has been urging many such governments to revisit and re-examine their attitude to press freedom.
Some 150 delegates from countries around the world are in the island for the two-day World Press Freedom Conference. The international community will observe World Press Freedom Day tomorrow, May 3.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Sign up for our e-mail news digest and free tips from JISNews