World News Media Congress to highlight journalists’ safety

World News Media Congress is opening on Monday with strong focus on journalists’ safety and how attacks like that on Charlie Hebdo impact their ability to carry out their essential role.

A statement by the organisers, World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in cooperation with the Newspaper Association of America, said the three-day meet would open in Washington.

They also said the first day would focus on the dangers faced by independent media and include presentations from government officials, intergovernmental organisations and leading news outlets on the issue.

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova will make a presentation on the UN’s Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also address the session.

The presentation would be followed by a panel discussion titled "Killing the Messenger: What the Media Should Do to Protect Itself and Fight Back.”

AP’s Baghdad Bureau Chief Vivian Salama, Washington Post’s Foreign Editor Douglas Jehl, Editor of Pakistan’s Dawn Zaffar Abbas and Elisa Lees Muñoz, International Women’s Media Foundation executive director, constitute the panel.

Then, Phil Chetwynd, Global Editor-in-Chief of Agence France-Presse, will present on some of the tough calls that lie behind global news coverage.

The evolving nature of journalism would also come into focus.

The Washington Post's Executive Editor, Martin Baron, and Maria Ressa, Executive Editor and CEO of the news start-up Rappler in the Philippines and former Manila and Jakarta bureau chief for CNN will discuss on the issue.

The day’s highlight would be the presentation ceremony for the Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual WAN-IFRA press freedom prize, to "Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty.”

The exceptional award highlights the ongoing tragedy of journalists who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the right to freedom of expression. More than 1,100 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1992.

The 67th World News Media Congress, the 22nd World Editors Forum, the 25th World Advertising Forum and the inaugural World News Media Policy Forum are the global summit meetings of the world's press.

More than 1,000 publishers, chief editors, CEOs, managing directors and other senior news publishing executives are expected in Washington from June 1 to 3 for the events.