GLOBE INTERNATIONAL CENTER CO-ORGANISES WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY EVENT

Article written by ZULZAYA Nyamkhuu, from Globe International Center (Mongolia)

Mongolia’s Globe International Center and UNESCO’s Mongolian National Commission co-organized an event to celebrate World Press Freedom Day in the Open Society Forum in Ulaanbaatar, 2 May 2019. Representatives from the media sector, researchers, and international organisations participated in the meeting to discuss this year’s World Press Freedom Day theme: “Media for Democracy: Election and Journalism in times of disinformation”.

The opening ceremony for the event included speeches from Mrs. S. Uyanga, Secretary General of the UNESCO National Committee, Mr. Traian Laurentiu Hristea, the Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia, and Mr. Philip Merlin, Ambassador to Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Mongolia. Kh. Naranjargal, president of the Globe International Center, emphasized the theme of the World Press Freedom Day which is relevant to the current situation in Mongolia, given the upcoming 2020 elections.

Globe International Center has traditionally been awarded the “For the Truth” press freedom prize, for journalists or media outlets who have worked professionally and courageously for public right to information. This year, the 11^th “For the Truth” award was presented to Mongolian news organisation, IKON News.

On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO’s Mongolian National Commission and Globe International Centre organized a competition to design a cartoon poster, with the support of the Embassy of France. This year, the competition focused on the topic of “How fake news affects elections”. The first prize was awarded to B.Uyanga, 11b grade of “Mongene Complex”. KH.Ganganmurun and B.Minjin from the Mongolian University of Art and Culture were awarded second and third place.

Also, GIC organized two panel discussions titled “Media’s Potential to contribute to a culture of democracy and democratic election” and, “How the Digital Area is Affecting Election?” Lastly, J.Byambadorj chairman of the Mongolian National Human Rights Commission honoured Kh.Naranjargal, Chairman of Globe international center, the medal “For Human Rights”.