World Press Freedom Day World Press Freedom Day- by Stephen
Lendman America's First Amendment affirms it. So does Article 19
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It states
"(e)veryone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." In
December 1993, the UN General Assembly declared May 3 World
Press Freedom Day. Following the recommendation of UNESCO's
General Conference, it did so to: • "celebrate the fundamental
principles of press freedom; • assess the state of press freedom
throughout the world; • defend the media from attacks on their
independence; (and) • pay tribute to journalists who have lost
their lives in the line of duty." From April 30 to May 3, 1991,
UNESCO's "Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African
Press" seminar issued a Declaration of Windhoek. It called for
"protecting fundamental free expression principl