Cll/97/CONF.705/2 Original: English From Paris to Sofia: Eight years of efforts to foster media independence and pluralism and to promote press freedom UN/UNESCO European Seminar on Promoting independent and Pluralistic Media Sofia, Bulgaria, IO-13 September 1997 Communication Division UNESCO September 1997 CII-97/CONF.705/CLD.6
During the 1980s the so-called New World information and Communication Order (NWICO) reflected the official United Nations policy in the field of communication. It brought about violent and sterile controversies within UNESCO to such an extent that the United States of America and the United Kingdom decided to withdraw from the Organization in 1984 and 1985 respectively 1. As the decade closed, the end of the cold war and the emergence of new democracies world-wide transformed the global political landscape. Reflecting the new situation, in November 1989, six days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, UNESCO s General Conference adopted a New Communication Strategy. At the heart of this strategy was the commitment to promote the free flow of information, at international as well as national levels, and its wider and better balanced dissemination, without any obstacle to the freedom of expression, and to strengthen communication capacities in developing countries. The principles of this strategy have been strongly reaffirmed by every session of the General Conference since that date, With the new political landscape, several international media organizations urged UNESCO to convene an Informal East-West Press Meeting in Paris, France. The meeting was held in February gathering for the first time some 80 journalists and editors representing the newly independent media from Central and Eastern Europe as well as the media from Western Europe and North America. This was UNESCO s first concrete engagement with the democratic process in Central and Eastern Europe, and was considered by professional media circles as a pioneer initiative. The major themes discussed during the meeting included the lack of adequate training for journalists from Central and Eastern Europe and the need to promote exchanges between East and West. This debate was to set the guidelines for the Organization s action in the region. Since then, more than 200 short-term study visits have been organized by the Organization in the European region. UNESCO Chairs have been set up in journalism and mass communication in different European universities, as well as in other parts of the world, in order to promote exchanges of academic 1 Singapore also left UNESCO although not for political reasons. 2
experience and knowledge among universities. To increase the flow of information coming from Central and Eastern European countries, the technological capacity of media from this region has been upgraded and financial support given to film-makers to ensure the presence of their productions in international fora. Comparative studies in media legislation have been launched to meet the needs of policy-makers and media legislators in this par-t of the world. UNESCO has also provided assistance on an on-going basis to news agencies, radio and TV stations, print media and unions of journalists of this region. In accordance with one of the recommendations adopted at the Informal East- West Press Meeting, a Central and Eastern European Media Centre was established in Warsaw, Poland, to organize professional seminars as well as language and computer training for journalists. The Centre received financial and/or technical support from UNESCO, UNDP, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States and several NGO s and institutes, among them the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC). In May, a seminar for the development of an independent and pluralistic African press was organized in Windhoek (Namibia). The Declaration of Windhoek, adopted by the participants, laid down the pre-conditions for the establishment of press freedom, media pluralism and independence in Africa. At its 26th session, UNESCO s General Conference noting with interest the Declaration adopted by participants at the Windhoek seminar, which provides a reference for the development of independent and pluralist media in Africa, invites the Director-Genera/ to extend to other regions of the world the action taken so far in Africa and Europe...; to celebrate the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration adopted on 3 May 1991; (and) to transmit to the United Nations General Assembly the wish expressed by the Member States of UNESCO to have 3 May declared International Press Freedom Day. Following the recommendations of the Declaration of Windhoek, UNESCO S International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) modified its own functioning rules. Henceforth, projects submitted by the private sector are able to obtain financial support from IPDC on the same basis as the public sector. Since then, UNESCO s communication activities have helped in the development of communication infrastructure in the African continent, especially 3
in opening access to the media to the large segments of the national population living in rural communities. Assistance has been provided to develop the human and technical capacity of African media in support of good governance 2. In October, a seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic Asian media was organized in Almaty (Kazakstan). The Declaration of Alma Ata, which follows the text of the Declaration of Windhoek, was adopted and expanded the same principles to the Asian continent. Since then, UNESCO has been instrumental in establishing the Association of Independent Electronic Mass Media of Central Asia, the Regional Women Media Centre and the Print Media Association of Central Asia. 3 Support has been given to community radio stations owned and operated by the communities of this region, particularly having in mind their role in ensuring democratic participation for good governance and in mobilizing community efforts for development. Under UNESCO s impulse and with its moral and financial support, the Electronic Mail Action Alert Network IFEX (International Freedom of Expression Exchange) was created in Toronto. Its main purpose was to assist international campaigns for human rights by supplying accurate and timely information on attacks on journalists and writers, and on the use of censorship and press laws which limit freedom of expression. Made up initially of the main international organizations defending freedom of expression and press freedom, the IFEX network expanded rapidly to all continents. It currently has around 300 subscribers located in more than 80, mainly developing, countries. Its effectiveness and credibility are highly recognized on the international level. In December, UNESCO committed itself in the field of peace-making by taking action to protect and reinforce independent media in former Yugoslavia, a region devastated by war. In close collaboration with several professional media organizations, a campaign called SOS MEDIA was launched in order to sensitize the public about the importance of non-partisan information in times of war, as well as to support in a 2 For concrete information on projects carried out in the African region please refer to On-going extrabudgetary communication projects, Paris, January 1997. 3 For concrete information on projects carried out in the Asian region please refer to On-going extrabudgetary communication projects, Paris, January 1997. 4
financial, material, and diplomatic way the independent media of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia. These were at that moment facing threats of discontinuance or even disappearance because of their refusal to contribute to the war and hatred propaganda organized by the official media supporting the different parties in conflict. In May, UNESCO s Director-General was awarded in Berlin the Press Freedom Prize by the World Association of Newspapers (FIEJ). A few months later, the invitation made by UNESCO s General Conference to transmit to the United Nations General Assembly the wish to have 3 May declared World Press Freedom Day was realized. After 18 months of diplomatic efforts, first at ECOSOC in Geneva and afterwards at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the latter decided in December to declare 3 May (day on which the Declaration of Windhoek was adopted) World Press Freedom Day. In May, a seminar on media development and democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean was organized in Santiago (Chile). The Declaration of Santiago, which follows the text of the Declaration of Windhoek, was adopted, thus expanding the same principles to the Latin American and Caribbean region 4. For the first time, a constructive dialogue was created under the care of UNESCO among the different professional organizations in the region which had until then been fierce opponents. During the seminar, following a suggestion made by UNESCO, the President of Chile, Eduardo Frei, dedicated a square in Santiago to press freedom on World Press Freedom Day (3 May), naming it International Square of Freedom of the Press. 4 For concrete information on projects carried out in the Latin American region please refer to On-going extra-budgetary communication projects, Paris, January 1997. 5
With the active support of UNESCO, an independent television (NTV 99) was set up in Sarajevo in order to ensure non-partisan information for the Bosnian population. In February, NTV 99 was inaugurated thanks to the financial support of several European States and with the participation of FORPRONU in the transportation of technical material. The overall action of UNESCO in former Yugoslavia to support the independent media obtained financial contributions of more than one million dollars (50% in cash and 50% in kind) from Western states (European Union, Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and the UK). UNESCO was nominated lead agency in the United Nations system for programmes supporting independent media in former Yugoslavia. In February, an international Symposium organized by UNESCO in Toronto on Women and the Media, Access to Expression and Decision-making adopted the Toronto Platform for Action. This text served as a basis for the discussions held among governments and NGOs first in New York and later in Beijing, concerning the issue of women and the media. In September, some 200 female media professionals representing all regions of the world were mobilized in order that the 4th World Conference on Women (Beijing) adopt the Toronto platform aiming at promoting the access of women to expression and decision-making in the media. The text finally adopted ( Beijing Platform for Action, section J) took widely into account the recommendations made by the Toronto International Symposium. The United Nations Secretary-General, in his report to the Commission on the status of women of 23 January 1996, considered that the Toronto Platform for Action was the main contribution of UNESCO to the fourth World Conference on Women. At its 28th session (Paris, November 1995) the General Conference of UNESCO stressing the outstanding importance of the Declarations adopted by the participants in the seminars held in Windhoek, Almaty and Santiago, endorsed the Declarations and adopted unanimously the Toronto Platform for Action. At the same time, the Director-General was invited to fake adequate measures in order to prepare and organize, in co-operation with the United Nations Departmenf of Public Information and professional media organizations and with the support of various funding sources, a similar regional seminar in Europe. 6
In January, a seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic Arab media was organized in Sana a (Yemen). The Declaration of Sana a was adopted and expanded the same principles of the Declaration of Windhoek to the Arab region 5. Within the framework of the official celebration of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May at UNESCO Headquarters, UNESCO s Consultative Group for Press Freedom, created by the Director-General and made up of some fifteen eminent journalists, publishers and broadcasters representing all regions of the world, was introduced to representatives of Member States and major media professional organizations. Mr Federico Mayor announced on this occasion the creation of a World Press Freedom Prize. Also for this celebration, King Hussein of Jordan and Presidents Violeta Chamorro of Nicaragua, Jacques Chirac of France, Bill Clinton of the United States, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Fidel Ramos of the Philippines, as well as the then United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, sent supporting messages to UNESCO stressing the importance of press freedom for democratic societies. At its 150th session, the Executive Board of UNESCO stresses the outstanding importance of the Sana a seminar, and recommended to the General Conference that it endorse it at its twenty-ninth session. On the initiative of UNESCO, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Communication for development, which, inter alia, stresses the need to support two-way communication systems that enable dialogue and that allow communities to speak out, express their aspirations and concerns and participate in the decisions that relate to their development. The adoption of this resolution was the outcome of concerted action inside the United Nations system which started in Harare in September within the framework of an informal inter-agency Round Table organized and animated by UNESCO. On behalf of the participants, a representative of UNESCO presented the report of the Round Table to Commission II of the General Assembly in November. By adopting this resolution, the United Nations General Assembly has formally introduced a democratic dimension in the implementation of projects and programmes through communication. 5 For concrete information on projects carried out in the Arab region please refer to On-going extrabudgetary communication projects, Paris, January 1997.
On 3 May, in Bilbao (Spain), the UNESCO Director-General awarded the first UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to the Chinese journalist Gao Yu who was detained in her country because of her professional activities. Eight international media organizations wrote to the Director-General to express to him their appreciation for his firm and unflinching support of a free press around the globe. On 1 August, the UNESCO Director-General set up a special unit for freedom of expression and democracy. The mission of this compact, well-qualified and rapid-reaction team is to deal with policy issues related to freedom of expression and democracy and to consolidate and develop UNESCO s world-wide role in promoting freedom of expression as a basic human right essential to democracy. From 10-13 September, the European Seminar on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media is being held in Sofia, Bulgaria, aimed at strengthening interaction among journalists in Europe and reinforcing the role of independent media as an essential component of democratic processes. The Sofia meeting is the last in a series of seminars which began in Windhoek (Namibia) and continued in Almaty (Kazakstan), Santiago (Chile) and Sana a (Yemen). This last seminar closes a cycle of seven years of efforts to promote the human right of freedom of expression and the principle of press freedom as an essential component of democracy in every region of the world. UNESCO thanks all partners who made the organization of these five seminars possible and trusts that this close collaboration will continue in the future. 8