UNESCO and the Doha Center for Media Freedom yesterday celebrated the Press Freedom Day in Qatar, calling on all governments to remove any obstacles to the establishment of various media institutions, enact laws that protect freedom of the press, ensure fair trials for media personnel and bloggers, and encourage transparency, particularly the right to access and disseminate information so as to strengthen dialogue. UNESCO said media promotes dialogue and understanding in a world that is becoming more dispersed and varied, where differences cause wars and tensions that the media could avoid by presenting the different points of view. The conference's slogan was 'Dialogue, Understanding and Reconciliation'. George Anastasopoulos, President of the 34th session of UNESCO, stressed the importance of dialogue as a means to communicate and express views, saying that the media, despite its ability to carry out a fundamental role in the consolidation of freedom, cannot do so alone. He also called on the media to be objective and on governments to provide an environment that allows access to information. UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said this annual event is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of the press as fundamental human rights in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Robert Menard, Director of the Doha Center, pointed to the risks faced by journalists in areas of wars and in repressive countries, where they can be killed or arrested.
