Regional online conference in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day

Jointly organized by the Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila and UNESCO

Date: 9 December 2020
Time: 3:00-4:30pm (Jakarta, GMT+7)
Platform: Online
Working language: English

Background
The global theme of this year’s WPFD celebration is ‘Journalism without Fear or Favour‘, a phrase coined by Adolph S. Ochs, founder of the modern New York Times. It is meant to promote the idea that we need to stand up for a free, safe and independent media and protect journalism from new and existing forms of unwanted control, pressure and influence.

In addition, with more than 1,100 journalists killed in the world from 2006 to 2019 according to UNESCO, and only one case out of ten judicially solved, the level of impunity for crimes against journalists remains terribly high. This imposes a climate of fear in many parts of the world, which is ultimately detrimental to the free circulation of ideas and opinions by both the media and citizens at large. With the independence, safety and freedom of the media under attack in so many countries, and with the COVID-19 pandemic revealing once again just how important a free, safe and independent media is, it this is now more relevant than ever to stand up for these issues.

Journalism today undergoes many pressures from actors trying to capture or intimidate media in order to hamper journalists in their daily work and by doing so, influence the flow of information. In addition, the ongoing revolution in communications technology and the rise of major Internet companies pose another challenge to independent journalism and – through that – to the value that press freedom has for society. These developments make the role of journalism in societies more distinctive and precious than ever, which is also why there is mounting action in favour of media and journalistic independence across the world.

Today, the concerns about independence of journalism have extended to additional issues. These include major Internet companies having become the primary curators of journalistic and cultural content, and some of them operating business models that have promoted disinformation and hate speech at the expense of prominence to journalism. On top of this, there is an increase in incitement to hostility against targeted news outlets and individual reporters, and of intimidation via digital channels where women journalists and artists are especially subjected to attack.

This regional online conference, jointly organized by the Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila and UNESCO Office in Jakarta will explore the issue of safety of journalists from the perspective of media practitioners of different media including print, broadcast, photojournalism, and cartooning.

We would be honoured to have your presence, and we look forward to receiving the confirmation of your attendance by registering via https://s.id/WPFD2020.

Agenda
Time (Jakarta, GMT+7)

2.45-3.00pm ∙ Participants to begin log-in (waiting room)

3:00-3:10pm Opening Remarks:

• Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative from UNESCO Jakarta
• Joint Video Message from the Ambassadors of the Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands H.E. Lambert Grijns (Jakarta), H.E. Aart Jacobi (Kuala Lumpur), and H.E. Saskia de Lang (Manila)

3:00-4:25pm Public Session: “Journalism Without Fear or Favour – Safety of Journalists During Times of Turmoil and Pandemic”

Moderator: Free Press Unlimited
Description: Six women and men journalists, photojournalists, and cartoonists from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines will speak on the challenges of they have received for their journalistic work including harassment, threats, and attacks both offline and online. These may be related to their work in reporting from various dangerous situations such as riots, demonstrations, the crackdown during war on drugs, and COVID-19. The photojournalists and cartoonists will present a selection of their photographs/art as well as sharing their views and perspectives through these visual elements. (60 minutes)

• Ms Evi Mariani, Journalist and Managing Editor, Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
• Mr Laban Laisila, Head of Newsroom, Narasi TV (Indonesia)
• Mr Raffy Lerma, Photojournalist (the Philippines)
• Ms Amalia Cabusao, Editor-in-Chief, Mindanao Times (the Philippines)
• Ms Annabelle Lee, Journalist, Malaysiakini.com (Malaysia)
• Zunar, Cartoonist (Malaysia)

Q&A Session with Audience (25 minutes)

4:25-4:30pm Closing/Wrap-up:
H.E. Bahia Tahzib-Lie, Human Rights Ambassador, the Netherlands invite participants to join the live stream from WPFD Hague