World Press Freedom Day 2024; May 3rd.

FORUM: "A Press for the planet: Journalism is the face of the environmental crisis." World Press Freedom Day 2024. 30 years after the historic Santiago Declaration, which advanced media independence and pluralism, UNESCO reaffirms its worldwide commitment to defending press freedom of expression. On 2 - 4 May, the Government of Chile and UNESCO will host the 31st World Press Freedom Day Conference in Santiago. The commemoration will be dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #WPFD2024, #WorldPressFreedomDay, #freedomofexpression, #PressFreedom, #Apress, #fortheplanet #journalism, #environmentalcrisis, #3may.

EVENTS: Speak Up, Stay Free: from May 2 to 4, commemorate World Press Freedom Day2024 with UNESCO and Chile under the theme ''A Press for the planet: Journalism is the face of the environmental crisis." Explore the agenda programme, the Side-events and Get the list of the panelists!

3 MAY, 2024

Venue – Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, Santiago, Chile.
All hours in Santiago time.

CONFERENCE TRACKS

Track 1 - Building a sustainable future with Freedom of Expression
Track 2 – Old and emerging challenges
Track 3 – Governance and decision-making
Track 4 - Santiago + 30 Where are we now?
Track 5 – Freedom of Expression Latin America

7:30 - 9:00 - Registration

Accreditation will also be available at the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral (GAM) on Thursday, May 2, between 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
9:00 - 10:05 - Opening ceremony

Plenary Room
Master of Ceremony: Ms. Leonor Varela, actress, Chile

Opening Video: The Important Stuff, presented by Alana, UNESCO, and UNICEFWelcome remarks by Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO
Keynote address by Mr. Gael García Bernal, Actor, producer and environmental activist; and Ms. Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Welcome remarks by Mr. Gabriel Boric, President of the Republic of Chile

Coros Ciudadanos

10:15 - 11:20 - Plenary Session 1: No future without freedom of expression and access to information.

Plenary room
- Video message from Mr. Sebastião Salgado, Social documentary photographer

- Keynote remarks by Ms. Maria Ressa, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, Philippines Ms. Maria Ressa, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, Philippines.
- Mr. Fredrick Mugira, Founder Water Journalist Africa, Uganda.
- Ms. Minna-Liina Lind, Deputy Foreign Minister for Global Affairs and Co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, Estonia
- Mr. Gael García Bernal, Actor, producer and environmental activist

Moderated by Ms. Paloma Ávila Barrera, Director of CNN Futuro, Chile

11:30 - 12:25 Breakout sessions

Track 1: Climate Disinformation in South America and Beyond.

Organized by Climate Action Against Disinformation Coalition - Union of Concern Scientists | Room C2

Ms. Thais Lazzeri, FALA, Brazil

Mr. Maximiliano Manzoni, Author, Paraguay

Mr. Max McBride, Roots, UK

Ms. Jennie King, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, UK

Ms. Kate Cell, Union of Concerned Scientists, USA

Moderator: Mr. Brett Robertson, University of South Carolina, USA

 

Track 2: (Dis)InfoTactics in the super election year: The scramble to rebuild trust in the media. 

Organized by by DW Akademie | Room A2

Ms. Patricia Mayorga, Periodistas de a Pie, Mexico

Mr. Swapneel Mehta, MIT, India

Ms. Marcela Tobar Ríos, IDEA, Chile

Ms. Gwen Lister, Namibia Media Institute, Namibia

Moderator: Mr. Carsten von Nahmen, DW Akademie, Germany

 

Track 3: Joint Declaration of the Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression. 

 Room A1

Opening remarks: Mr. Raúl Fernandez Daza, Ambassador of Chile to France and IPDC Council and Bureau, Chile

- Ms. Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur

- Ms. Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, African Union

- Ms. Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE

- Mr. Pedro Vaca, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Moderator: Andrea Obaid, ACHIPEC, Chile

 

Track 4:  Moving indigenous voices to the center of the Stage. Intercultural communication: between the challenge of production in one's own language and the dispute over stigmatization; 

Organized by Defensoria de Público and UNESCO |  Room N2

- Daniel Zalazar, Centro de Producción Intercultural de Aluminé, Argentina

- Ms. Renata Machado, Radio Yandé, Brazil

- Ms. María Dolores Euseda Cabrera, Radio Dignidad, Honduras

- Ms. Myriam Vargas Teutle, Human rights defender, Mexico

- Ms. Leyla Noriega, Radio Ayni, Chile

Moderator: Ms. Miriam Lewin, Defensora del Público de Argentina

 

Track 5: From the field: Environmental journalism experiences in the America 

Organized by Climate Tracker and UNESCO | Room C1

- Mr. Patrick Murayari, Kukama-kukamiria Indigenous Community in Loreto, Peru

- Ms. Sonia Pérez, Associated Press

- Mr. Nicolas Sepulveda, Journalist, Chile

- Ms. Scarlett Arias, Frontline defenders, Mexico

- Moderator: Ms. Nicole Venegas, Climate Tracker, Chile

 

Workshop: Data-driven investigations in the Amazon Rainforest: journalism contributions for the governance in the region;

Organized by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting | BiblioGAM

Ms. Karla Mendes, Mongabay, Brazil

Mr. Bram Ebus, Independent journalist

13:30 - 14:45 - Plenary Session II: The threats to our future.

Plenary room

- Ms. Andrea Ixchiu, K'iche journalist and environmental activist, Guatemala
- Ms. Alyaa Abo, Investigative journalist and trainer, Egypt
- Ms. Jennifer Robinson, Doughty Street Chambers, human rights and freedom of expression lawyer, Australia
-Mr. Ricardo Pael Ardenghi, Prosecutor, Procuradoria da Republica Em Mato Grosso, Brazil
- Ms. Suntariya Muanpawong, Chief Judge in the Research Justice Division of the Supreme Court of Thailand, Thailand
- Ms. Saba Kidane, Founder of EriSatTV, Eritrea


14:50 – 15:45 Breakout sessions

Track 1: Climate Disinformation in South America and Beyond.
Organized by Climate Action Against Disinformation Coalition - Union of Concern Scientists | Room C2

- Ms. Thais Lazzeri, FALA, Brazil
- Mr. Maximiliano Manzoni, Author, Paraguay
- Mr. Max McBride, Roots, UK
- Ms. Jennie King, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, UK
- Ms. Kate Cell, Union of Concerned Scientists, USA
- Moderator: Mr. Brett Robertson, University of South Carolina, USA

Track 2: (Dis)InfoTactics in the super election year: The scramble to rebuild trust in the media.
Organized by by DW Akademie | Room A2Ms. Patricia Mayorga, Periodistas de a Pie, Mexico
- Mr. Swapneel Mehta, MIT, India
- Ms. Marcela Tobar Ríos, IDEA, Chile
- Ms. Gwen Lister, Namibia Media Institute, Namibia
Moderator: Mr. Carsten von Nahmen, DW Akademie, Germany

Track 3: Joint Declaration of the Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression
Room A1Opening remarks: Mr. Raúl Fernandez Daza, Ambassador of Chile to France and IPDC Council and Bureau, Chile
- Ms. Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur
- Ms. Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, African Union
- Ms. Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE
- Mr. Pedro Vaca, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Moderator: Andrea Obaid, ACHIPEC, Chile

Track 4: Moving indigenous voices to the center of the Stage. Intercultural communication: between the challenge of production in one's own language and the dispute over stigmatization
Organized by Defensoria de Público and UNESCO | Room N2Daniel Zalazar, Centro de Producción Intercultural de Aluminé, Argentina
- Ms. Renata Machado, Radio Yandé, Brazil
- Ms. María Dolores Euseda Cabrera, Radio Dignidad, Honduras
- Ms. Myriam Vargas Teutle, Human rights defender, Mexico
- Ms. Leyla Noriega, Radio Ayni, Chile
- Moderator: Ms. Miriam Lewin, Defensora del Público de Argentina

Track 5: From the field: Environmental journalism experiences in the America
Organized by Climate Tracker and UNESCO | Room C1Mr. Patrick Murayari, Kukama-kukamiria Indigenous Community in Loreto, Peru
- Ms. Sonia Pérez, Associated Press
- Mr. Nicolas Sepulveda, Journalist, Chile
- Ms. Scarlett Arias, Frontline defenders, Mexico
- Moderator: Ms. Nicole Venegas, Climate Tracker, Chile

Workshop: Data-driven investigations in the Amazon Rainforest: journalism contributions for the governance in the region.
Organized by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting | BiblioGAMMs. Karla Mendes, Mongabay, Brazil and Mr. Bram Ebus, Independent journalist.

16:00 - 16:55 - Breakout sessions

Track 1: Intergenerational fireside chat: fostering digital resilience and child participation to promote reliable information about climate change

Organized by Instituto Alana | Room A2Mr. João Brant, Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, Brazil
Mr. Francisco Vera, Youth, Colombia
Ms. Awo Aidam Amenyah, founder of Child Online Africa, Ghana.
Ms. Taissa Kambeba, Indigenous teenager, Brazil.
Moderator: Ms. Emiko Sepúlveda, LCOY Chile Coordinator, Chile.

Track 2: Targeting Journalists: under the Crisis of Environment and Armed Conflicts

Organized by Al Jazeera | Room A1Mr. Wael Aldahdouh, Al Jazeera, Palestine (video message)
Ms. Khadija Patel, Al Jazeera, South Africa.
Ms. Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur
Ms. Paula Cejas, International Federation of Journalists, Argentina
Ms. Dima Khatib,Al Jazeera Media Network, Palestine-Syria.

Track 3: Informing the Planet: international mechanisms for accessing environmental information.
Organized by UNESCO | Room N2Ms. Blanca Lilia Ibarra Cadena, Commissioner at the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection of Mexico, Mexico.
- Ms. Constance Nalegach, Head of International Affairs, Chilean Ministry of the Environment, Chile.
-Mr. Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention
- Mr. David Barrio Lamarche, Escazú Agreement Secretariat, ECLAC

Moderator: Ms María Carolina Fuentes Prieto, Journalist and documentalrst, Chile


Track 4: What happened to media pluralism?
Organized by OBSERVACOM, UNESCO Montevideo, DW Akademie | Room C1Ms. Mónica Valdés, Community Radio Activist, Colombia.
- Ms. Rocio Alorda, Colegio de Periodistas de Chile, Chile.
Mr. Martín Becerra, Investigative Journalist and Professor, Argentina.
Mr Luis Salazar, CEPRA, Bolivia
Moderator: Mr. Mauricio Muñoz, CNTV, Chile.


Track 5: Saving the planet and protecting democracy: same fight!

Organized by SOCOLAC and UNESCO | Room C2Mr. Sergio Arauz, El Faro, El Salvador.
Ms. Diana Salinas, Cuestión Pública, Colombia
Ms. Mónica González, Journalist, Chile.
Ms. Veronica Goyzueta, Journalist, Peru
Moderator: Mr. Daniel Matamala, Journalist, Chile.


Workshop: Exploring the Power of Collaboration for a Sustainable Environment and Information Ecosystem.
Organized by IFEX | BiblioGAMMs. Rachael Kay, IFEX, Canada.

17:00 – 18:10 - Plenary Session III : Facing a future for all.

Plenary room

- Ms. Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Honourable Emma Theofelus, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Namibia
- Mr. Giovanni Salvi, Former Attorney General of the Italian Court of Cassation, Italy
- Ms. Maksuda Aziz, Journalist at Mongabay, Association of Bangladeshi Journalists, Bangladesh
- Mr. Antonio Díaz Aranda, Youth Ambassador for Climate

Moderated by Mr. Giles Trendle, Co-Chair the steering committee of Covering Climate Now, UK

18:10 – 18:30  Unity in Action: Unveiling a Joint Declaration by Presidents of UN Bodies

Plenary room

Moderator: Mr. Carsten von Nahmen, DW Akademie, Germany

- H.E. Amb. Simona Mirela Miculescu, President of the General Conference of UNESCO
- H.E. Amb. Dennis Francis, President, United Nations General Assembly (video message)
- H.E. Amb. Omar Zniber, President, Human Rights Council (video message)
- H.E. Amb. Paula Narváez Ojeda, President, United Nations Economic and Social Council

18:30 - 18:45 - Roadmap to the Future

Plenary room

Video message on journalists disappeared and executed during the dictatorship in ChileMr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO
Mr. Alberto Van Klaveren, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile
Ms. Camila Vallejo, Ministry General Secretariat of Government, Chile

SIDE EVENTS: Conferences, seminars and workshops taking place on 2 and 4 May.
More than 40 side events organized by partners will take place on May 2-4. Join compelling panels delving into the growing threats faced by reporters uncovering environmental crimes. Engage with leading investigative journalists, reporters, photojournalists, press freedom and legal experts and more. Join the film screenings and the interactive sessions prepared for you. Go to the list here.

2 May
9:00 - 12:45 - The challenges of artistic freedom and creativity in a context of environmental crisis and artificial intelligence. Organized by UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Chile | Centro de Creación y Residencia Artística
11:00 - 12:30 - Launch of OECD Report “Facts not Fakes: Tackling Disinformation, Strengthening Information Integrity”. Organized by OECD | Centro Cultural La Moneda
14:00 – 17:30 - Environmental crisis: the role of the judicial system to ensure the safety of the critical voice. Organized by UNESCO | Supreme Court of Chile


4 May
Venue: Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral

9:00 - 10:00 Profiling and surveillance: a renewed challenge to freedom of expression for the use of new technologies. Organized by Media Defence | Room A2

Rowing in the Same Direction: Alignment Between Environmental Champions in Government, Media and Civil Society. Organized by the World Bank | Room C2

9:00 - 10:30 The Online Threats to Freedom of Expression and Climate Communication in Latin America and Beyond. Organized by IPANDETEC, Access Now, Global Witness | Room C1

9:00 - 11:00 Investigating Environmental Crimes: Can You Cover Coal Mining or Water Scarcity and Stay Alive? Organized by JournalismFund Europe, Justice for Journalists | Room A1
Percepción de los periodistas sobre la situación de la libertad de expresión y de prensa en Chile. Organized by Colegio de Periodistas de Chile y Universidad de los Andes | Room N2

9:00 - 13:30 GFMD Latin America & Caribbean Summit: Fostering Trust and Collaboration for Journalism Sustainability and Safety. Organized by Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD),Centre for International Media Assistance (CIMA),Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) Media Development Working Group, UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) | BiblioGAM

10:00 - 11:00 Turning justice against freedom of expression: how to tackle the increasing use of SLAPPs to silence journalists and others investigating and reporting on the current environmental crisis. Organized by OHCHR | Room A2
Las deudas de la democracia con la libertad de expresión en Chile: propuestas de las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Organized by Coalición por el Fortalecimiento de la Libertad de Expresión en Chile | Room C2

10:30 - 12:30 Sustentabilidad de los Medios de Comunicación y su papel en la defensa de la Libertad de Prensa y el Periodismo ante la Crisis Ambiental. Organized by Asociación Internacional de Radiodifusión (AIR) | Room C1

11:00 – 12:00 Disarming Disinformation: How leading international editors are responding to information pollution in a pivotal year for democracy and the planet. 

Organized by International Center for Journalists | Room A1
Shaping a Positive and Inclusive Vision for the Online Information Ecosystem. Organized by Freedom Online Coalition | Room A2
Protección de periodistas y personas trabajadoras de las comunicaciones: estrategias para avanzar hacia mecanismos de seguridad para la labor informative. Organized by Colegio de Periodistas de Chile | Room N2

11:00 – 12:30 Disinformation and other risks of covering environmental crimes in the Amazon. Organized by CPJ, APC, Intervozes | Room C2


12:00 – 13:30 Defending the Critical Role of Journalists, Scientists and Artists in Times of Environmental Crisis: The UN and Access to Information. Organized by Permanent Delegation of Denmark to UNESCO | Room A1
New data and latest trends in attacks against journalists covering the environment. Organized by UNESCO | Room A2
Iniciativa latinoamericana "Más poder a las personas. Menos poder de las grandes plataformas digitales". Organized by OBSERVACOM | Room N2


12:30 – 13:30 ¿Qué pasa en las salas de prensa y redacciones? Estrategias contra el sexismo en los medios. Organized by Red de Periodistas y Comunicadoras Feministas de Chile | Room C2


Freedom of speech and MIL. Intercultural experiences from Latin America. Organized by MIL Alliance | Room C1


13:30 – 14:30 [ LUNCH TIME] Film screenings by El Pais | Room A2

14:30 – 15:30 Driving climate awareness and literacy on social media: exploring the role of digital content creators and platforms to address the climate crisis.  Organized by

UNESCO |  Room A1 -Beyond borders: environmental journalism as part of bigger picture. Organized by Free Press Unlimited | Room A2

Interlinkages between media freedom, democracy, and security – in a climate of crisis. Organized by OSCE | Room C1 - "Mucho Ruido y Pocas Nueces" Estrategias y soluciones para comunicar la crisis climática y la sostenibilidad: un enfoque científico, comunitario y juvenil. Organized by IPS Academy Association - Citizens' Platform on Climate Change and a Sustainable World program | Room N2


14:30 – 16:00 New narratives to save the planet: gender-sensitive journalism meets environmental reporting. Organized by DW Akademie, Alharaca | Room C2
Ensuring Rights-Respecting Governance of Digital Platforms: Multi Stakeholder Perspectives in the Latin American context and the role of UNESCO Guidelines. Organized by Derechos Digitales | Biblio GAM


15:30 – 16:30 Environmental and climate journalists under fire: Strategies to promote free and safe news coverage of the global environmental crisis. Organized by International Press Institute (IPI), Pullitzer Center, Internews Earth Journalism Network | Room A1
Rewriting climate change narratives: artistic approaches to inclusive storytelling. Organized by Media Diversity Institute | Room A2
Media Resilience: Navigating Information Rights and Journalist Safety in Latin American Environmental Reporting. Organized by OHCHR | Room C1


15:30 - 17:00 Survival Strategies: How Exile Media Adapt to New Realities. Organized by The Center for International Media Assistance, Internews, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Thomson Reuters Foundation | Room N2


16:00 -17:30 The Media Viability Manifesto: A Common Strategy for Joint Action. Organized by DW Akademie and UNESCO IPDC as representatives of the Media Viability Manifesto initiative. | Room C2.
-What does journalism need to help save the Amazon? Organized by Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Expression - Inter-american Human Rights Court and FLIP | BiblioGAM


16:30 – 17:30 The gender dimensions of disinformation - Freedom of expression and gender justice. Organized by Association for Progressive Communications (APC), United Nations Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Free Press Unlimited | Room A2.

Photojournalism: The challenges and threats to journalistic coverage in the Amazon rainforest. Organized by Fundacion Vista and UNESCO | Room C1.


16:30 – 18:00 International Cooperation for the Pursuit of Innovative Solutions for the Protection of Environmental Journalists and Communicators. 

Organized by ARTICLE 19 Mexico, ARTICLE 19 Brazil , FOPEA | Room A1

17:00 – 18:00 Mujeres e infancias indígenas, rurales, campesinas frente a la violencia en contextos de defensa ambiental, del territorio, y crisis climática en América Latina.

Organized by Red Internacional de Periodistas con Visión de Género (RIPVG) | Room N2


17:30 – 19:00 Case studies of action from the Media Freedom Coalition: supporting journalists at risk through safe refuge and coordinated advocacy. Organized by Media Freedom Coalition | Room A2
A workshop on Youth Voices in the Face of Environmental and Information Pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Organized by University of Southern California, IREX and Ojo Publico | Room C2

Safety of journalists in Latin America: Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? 

Organized by SOCOLAC | Room C1
Conversatorio sobre Desinformación y Personas LGBTIQA+. Organized by Observatorio de Participación Ciudadana y No Discriminación del Ministerio Secretaría General de Gobierno de Chile | BiblioGAM


18:00 – 19:00 Uncovering Environmental Crimes in Tropical Ecosystems: Investigative Journalism and Press Freedom in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. 

Organized by Internews | Room N2.
- Attacks against journalists during full-scale invasion. Organized by The Reckoning Project, Public Interest Journalism Lab | Room A1

From 3 to 4 May at the The Holistic Safety Clinic. Come get one-on-one consultation from experts on digital safety, physical safety, and psychosocial wellbeing. The consultations can be related to specific incidents or done as a proactive measure. This clinic is organized by IREX. Come see us at our table and sign up for sessions! (location at GAM will be provided).

PRIZES: On May 2nd, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Award Ceremony 2024 will be held.

20:00 – 22:00 - UNESCO/ Guillermo Cano Award Ceremony - 

Venue: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santiago and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (upon official invitation). The ceremony will be livestreamed. Watch it here.

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: 3 May, POSTER. Share on social media the Conference banners and other materials using World Press Freedom Day Get them here!