World Press Freedom Day 2022 – Uruguay to Host International Conference, May 2-4, 2022
For the first time, Uruguay will host the annual World Press Freedom Day Global Conference from May 2 to 4, 2022. UNESCO and a network of Uruguayan universities will host the seventh edition of the Academic Conference on the Safety of Journalists in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The Academic Conference will take place within the framework of the 2022 global celebration of World Press Freedom Day, co-hosted by UNESCO and the Government of Uruguay.
Topics for the 2022 Academic Conference include:
- Digital protection for journalists & online surveillance
- Specific threats faced by women journalists online and offline
- The safety of journalists covering protests
- Impact of internet shutdowns on journalistic work
- Digital media technologies and safety of journalists
- The 10-year anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity: achievements, challenges and the way forward
Every year, on May 3, the fundamental principles of press freedom are celebrated. This date provides an opportunity to evaluate press freedom worldwide, to defend the media from attacks on their independence, as well as to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the performance of their profession.
The World Press Freedom Conference prepares to reconvene following the recognition of two journalists who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Under the slogan “Journalism under Digital Siege,” World Press Freedom Day 2022 will discuss the impact of the digital age on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy.
The conference will bring together stakeholders, such as politicians, journalists, media representatives, activists, cybersecurity managers and legal experts, to explore these issues and develop concrete solutions to address the threats posed by increased cybersecurity, surveillance for press freedom and privacy.
In October 2021, UNESCO chose Uruguay as the host country. The Minister of Education and Culture, Pablo da Silveira, pointed out that “it is a great honor for the country to have been chosen by UNESCO” and added that it is a great opportunity for Uruguayans to benefit from the arrival of experts on the subject of everyone. With Uruguay as host, the conference returns to Latin America and the Caribbean after almost a decade since the event took place in San José, Costa Rica.
The conference program, currently under development, will include around 40 plenary and parallel sessions organized by UNESCO and its partners, a youth newsroom organized by local universities, an academic conference, performances and cultural events.
The conference will also provide the opportunity to award the 2022 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, a prestigious award intended to honor a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense of press freedom.
The conference will be held in a hybrid format, with both face-to-face and online participants. It will take place from May 2 to 4 at the Punta del Este Convention Center, Maldonado. The National Government will offer a cultural gala at the Auditorio Nacional del Sodre, on May 4 in Montevideo, and an excursion to the historic center of the city of Colonia del Sacramento, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, on May 5.
Registration to the Conference, In Person or Virtual is now Open.
Soledad Quartucci | Latina Republic
Dr. Soledad Quartucci is the founder and CEO of Latina Republic, a 501(C)3 California-based nonprofit organization. Latina Republic is committed to improving the diversity and professional development of storytellers in the media industry as representation matters and affects the stories we tell. Latina Republic makes space for and empowers unheard voices and trains the next generation of leaders in the U.S.
