The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) in association with UNESCO and United News of Bangadesh (UNB) will organize a special seminar on May 3 in Dhaka to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2008.

Following the successful first South Asian World Press Freedom Day event held in the Maldives last year, this year's event will focus on UNESCO's theme for the 2008 WPFD: "Access to information and the empowerment of people."

Stemming from the UNESCO General Conference (1991) that recognised that a free, pluralistic and independent press was an essential component of any democratic society, the General Assembly in 1993 declared May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.

The Day serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom- a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

"It's a great honour for UNB to be a co-host of this important event in Dhaka. It's also a great honour for the country for being selected as the venue for such seminar on press freedom," said Enayetullah Khan, Editor-in-Chief of UNB.