Leading Minds Reflecting on Information as a Public Good to Participate in World Press Freedom Conference in Windhoek

The 2021 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference, hosted by UNESCO and the Government of Namibia, will be held on 29 April – 3 May in Windhoek. The event will bring leading minds of the world of journalism, media and technology as well as experts, policy makers, and activists, to affirm information is a public good and discuss how to support independent journalism and local news media.

Among first announced interventions are:

• Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Miranda Johnson, The Economist’s Deputy Executive Editor, will engage in a dialogue on the role of information as a public good.
• Nanjira Sambuli, ICT scholar, policy analyst and advocacy strategist. Sambuli led the policy strategy for the World Web Foundation working on understanding the unfolding impacts and gendered implications of ICT adoption on governance, media and tech. The BBC included her in their list of 100 Inspiring and Influential Women.
• Carmen Aristegui, one of Mexico’s leading journalists, head of digital media Aristegui Noticias. Aristegui leads news programme on CNN en Español.
• Seema Mustafa, senior award-winning journalist and founder of The Citizen, “India’s first independent online newspaper”. Mustafa is the president of India’s Editor’s Guild.
• Rod Sims, Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Under his direction, the ACCC published a study that found internet companies benefitted from Australian news content without being able to seek appropriate compensation.

About the Conference

The five-day conference will comprise over 40 sessions and plenaries including three thematic ones discussing current issues on media viability, the transparency of online platforms, and strengthening media and information literacy capacities. [Register now here]

Read all what you need in our FAQ.

More programme highlights

• Regional Forums. Six regional forums will focus on regional-specific aspects of press freedom and make recommendations to tackle current trends and challenges. The Forums build upon the historic series of regional seminars triggered by the 1991 Seminar in Windhoek, which inspired a similar initiatives held in Alma-Ata (1992), Santiago (1994), Sana’a (1996), and Sofia (1997).
• Ideas on how harmful digital speech could be tackled while protecting freedom of expression, and boost people’s capacities to cherish information so they become a bulwark against disinformation.
• Sessions on the impact of COVID-19 on news media around the world and emergency measures to support independent local news media during the pandemic.

Renowned Namibian journalists and Champions of the 2021 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference, Gwen Lister, co-founder of The Namibian, and Toivo Ndjebela, Editor-in-chief of Namibian Sun, will be among the Conference’s master of ceremonies. Read more about them here

30th Anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration

Special commemorations of the 30th anniversary will take place during World Press Freedom Day Global Conference.
We are inviting members the World Press Freedom Day’ community around the world to share a short 30-second video clip answering three questions related to this year WPFD celebration. Send your video now! Read more here.