World Conference in Athens 7-10 December 2008
03.12.08
Press Release
How Media Can Bring the World to Life:
Global Forum for Media Development
Athens, December 7-10
Media development campaigners from around the world meet in Athens this week for a major debate on “Quality information for all” and how free journalism and independent media can contribute to confronting the global crisis of poverty, social dislocation and inequality.
Around 400 participants from more than 100 countries will join the Global Forum for Media Development, which is being held under the auspices of Greek President Karolos Papoulias and is part of the one year –long United Nations celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Global Forum will see the launch a new network bringing together journalists, media organisations, media development practitioners and media advocacy groups from every continent.
“The Athens Forum meets in dark times,” says David Hoffman, GFMD Chairman. “These are times when people need media to shine a light that can help them overcome the ignorance, prejudice and fear which undermine conditions for economic development and democracy.”
The minister of Interior Prokopis Paulopoulos, and the mayor of Athens Nikitas Kakalamanis will address the opening ceremony. At the closing ceremony the President of PASOK and of the Socialist International G.A. Papandreou will address the conference.
Over four days of debate beginning on Sunday December 7 media executives, journalists, development experts and representatives of international organisations and national governments will discuss a global programme to put quality media at the heart of development.
Highlights include:
➢ A keynote address on December 7th at 18.00 by Paul Collier award-winning author of The Bottom Billion, dealing with the challenge of poverty and social exclusion;
➢ A debate on the future of media on December 8th led by Chris Cramer, New Media Development Director at Thomson-Reuters and Abdul Rahman Alrasheed, Managing Director of the Middle East satellite network Al Arabiya;
➢ A Keynote speech(Tuesday 9th) of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Mrs Dora Bakoyannis on the safety of journalists in the conflict zones and the resolution of the U.N.
➢ The launch(Sunday 7th) of the book To Tell you the Truth: The Ethical Journalism Initiative by Aidan White on behalf of the International Federation of Journalists;
➢ A focus on free speech (Tuesday 9th) with the world’s leading free expression advocates, led by Frank LaRue, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Free Expression and Miklos Haraszsti OSCE representative on freedom of the media.
Other speakers will include His Excellency Petar Stoyanov, former President of Bulgaria, Santiago Lyon Director of Photography for the Associated Press, and renowned journalist Alan Johnston of the BBC in sessions that cover all aspects of building a culture of quality, safety and independence in media to serve the needs of democratic development.
The Global Forum for Media Development brings together some of the world’s leading media development agencies, ranging from organisations with international scope such as, for instance, BBC World Service Trust or Internews to national media assistance groups such as, Free Media Movement in Sri Lanka or the Media Rights Agenda in Nigeria.
Further Information and Press Inquiries from: http://www.gfmd-athensconference.
Evangelia Galatoula 2106889158, Christina Georgiou 2106868158
Bettina Peters Nikos Megrelis
Director of GFMD Managing Coordinator
Of Athens Conference