3rd of May, the "World Day for Press Freedom"

Seminar on Worldwide Freedom of Press

Various solidarity groups formed by journalists have come together to celebrate the 3rd of May, declarated by United Nations - Unesco the "World Day for Press Freedom" through A Seminar on Worldwide Freedom of Press, to be held in Barcelona from 3rd of May to 5th of May.

I would also like to point out to you the on-line discussion to be held throughout this month, and starting on Monday 10th of April, under the title "Journalists in danger, exiled journalists". This dicussion will be hosted by the Forum of Cultures 2004, one of the supporters. Join the discussion >here

THE SEMINAR

Following lasts year's experience (1999) when two albanokosovar journalists were invited to Barcelona, on the 3rd. of May 2000 the World Day for Press Freedom, some Catalan journalists organizations wishing to show their solidarity (SICOM, Acció Premsa, Common, Associació de Dones Periodistes (ADP), and Grup de Periodisme Solidari del Col·legi de Periodistes de Catalunya) are inviting thirteen journalists and communication professionals from different districts and countries to attend a seminar in Barcelona with a view to discussing the right of freedom in the Press and Media, By listening to the personal experiences of this professional guest journalists we aim to point out to all our colleagues and to the Catalan and Spanish public the problems involved in practicing their profession in various parts of the world, especially in conflictive areas, and how these circumstances influence in the public opinion in those countries. The above-mentioned Catalan journalists organizations wish to help public their experiences and propose to discuss possible solutions in a public forum.

Extortion of professional people and violation of freedom of press is a common fact which is manifested in many and divers ways. For this reason we wish to select certain cases of journalists coming from different cultures and areas in the world who have suffered repression in various ways and situations for either political, social, ideological, religious reasons.

Patricia Estévez and Mónica Costa, members of the organizational team for the Seminar on Worldwide Freedom of Press, Ph: +34 (93) 402.39.39 Fax: +34 (93) 402.3912

Program

A Seminar on Worldwide Freedom of Press. Journalists in Danger, Exiled Journalists

Barcelona 3rd, 4th and 5th of May, 2000

• Wednesday, 3rd of May, Col.legi de Periodistes de Catalunya

12.30 pm Opening Press Conference to introduce the guest journalists to the Media

7.00 pm Lecture: Why a World Day for Press Freedom?
By Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, journalist and author
Opening of an exhibit by Reportiers Sans Frontières, organized by the International Press Center of Barcelona.

• Thursday, 4th of May

11.30 am Opening of the Seminar at CCCB

12.00 pm to 2.00 pm State of Freedom of Press in the World
Presentation of the Index of Censorship: Ursula Owen, editor

Coffee Break

Presentation of the annual report Reportiers Sans Frontières, Madrid – Fernando Castello
Discussion and round of questions

5.00 pm to 7.00 pm PEN Club lecture, by Carles Torner and Rosa Igartua

7.00 pm to 9.30 pm Journalists in Danger. Freedom of Press under pressure.
Moderator: Xavier Vinader, journalist

Guests:

• Bojana Lekic, chief editor of the independent Serbian Radio B92 in Belgrade
• Salima Tlemçani, Algerian journalist
• Gloria Helena Rey Rodríguez, Colombian journalist, BBC correspondent
• Kifle Mulat, President of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association
• Angel Paez, Peruvian journalist

Discussion and round of questions

• Friday, 5th of May, Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (CCCB)

12.00 pm to 2.00 pm Women and Communication in hard times
Moderator: Pilar Aymerich, photographer

Guests:

• Alejandra Matus, exiled Chilean writer
• Fatana Ishaq Gailani, Afghani journalist exiled in Pakistan, Príncipe de Asturias Prize
• Bojana Lekic, chief editor of the independent Serbian Radio B92 in Belgrade
• Salima Tlemçani, Algerian journalist from the Al Watan journal
• Gloria Helena Rey Rodríguez, BBC correspondent in Colombia

Discussion and round of questions

5.00 pm to 7.00 pm Feature presentation of the Chilean documentary "Muérdete los labios, Chile" (Bite your lips, Chile), about Alejandra Matus’ case
Intervention by Pablo Alvarado, director of the documentary

7.00 pm to 9.00 pm Exiled Journalists

Moderator: Xavier Giró, Professor of Journalism at University of Barcelona (UAB) and head of Postgraduate Studies in "Foreign Correspondants for Peace"

Guests:

• Wang Juntao, now exiled in USA, Reportiers Sans Frontières prize in 1993
• Hossein Bagher Zadeh, journalist, exiled in London
• Alejandra Matus, exiled Chilean writer
• Fatana Ishaq Gailani, Afghani journalist exiled in Pakistan,
• Aboepriady Santoso, Indonesian journalist and human rights activist

Discussion and round of questions

Organized by:

SICOM, ACCIÓ PREMSA, COMMON, GRUPS DE PERIODISME SOLIDARI DEL COL.LEGI DE PERIODISTES, DONES PERIODISTES, CENTRE INTERNACIONAL DE PREMSA DE BARCELONA, REGIDORIA DE COOPERACIO INTERNACIONAL DE L’AJUNTAMENT DE BARCELONA

With the support of

FORUM 2004, CENTRE DE CULTURA CONTEMPORÀNIA DE BARCELONA, FUNDACIO OLOF PALME

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