The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) will commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WPFD 2024) in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, on Friday, May 3, 2024.

This will be the first time in recent memory that the GJA is commemorating WPFD outside the national capital, Accra.

The move is in line with a commitment by the National Executive to organise such national events outside Accra in order to make the regional branches vibrant and inspire in all members a strong sense of belonging in the Association regardless of their geographical location.

The global theme for WPFD 2024 is: “Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the environmental crisis”.

However, the GJA has chosen the national theme: “Leveraging journalism for sustainable environment and future”, as we seek to lead a strong media campaign for the protection of the environment and the good of the country.

Dignitaries attending WPFD 2024

There will be a large number of dignitaries to grace the ceremony, which will be held at the Abba Bentil Theatre of the Koforidua Technical University, at 9:30am, under the royal chairmanship of Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III, the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, will be present to welcome all guests, including the Minister of Information-designate, Fatimatu Abubakar; the Head of Office & Representative of UNESCO Office, Accra, Edmond Moukala, and the Press Attache at the Embassy of the United States of America, Accra, Kevin Brosnahan.

The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr John Kingsley Akrugu, who will deliver the Keynote Address, is expected to highlight how journalism can help protect the environment, while GJA Journalist of the Year 2022, Erastus Asare Donkor of the Multimedia Group Limited, will also share some critical thoughts on staying the course of environmental protection through journalism.

Background to WPFD

In December 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day based on the recommendation of UNESCO and in tandem with the anniversary celebration of the ‘Declaration of Windhoek’ by the latter’s General Conference on May 3.
The commemoration of the Day is to remind governments of their commitments to press freedom and the need to respect same.

Media professionals and practitioners across the world also use WPFD to reflect on issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

One key feature of the occasion is the release of the global press freedom index by Reporters Without Borders, which gauges press freedom performances of countries.

In recent years, one significant trailer to the commemoration of WPFD is the organisation of the Africa Media Convention (AMC) in a fortnight hence, which forum rallies media actors and partners, as well as government officials, to discuss pertinent issues of press freedom.

Ghana, under the joint auspices of the GJA, Ministry of Information and UNESCO, Accra Office, will host this year’s AMC, scheduled for May 15 – 17, 2024, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
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SIGNED:
Kofi Yeboah
(General Secretary)