Source: http://www.wan-ifra.org/microsites/world-press-freedom-day-2015
The UN General Assembly declared May 3 to be the World Press Freedom Day in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It is a date to encourage and develop initiatives in favor of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.
It serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
UNESCO confers the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, worth US $ 45,000, on a deserving individual on this day, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world. This prize was created in 1997. Names are submitted by regional and international non-governmental organizations working for press freedom, and by UNESCO member states. It is awarded on the recommendation of an independent jury of 14 news professionals.
UNESCO also brings together media professionals, press freedom organizations and UN agencies to assess the state of press freedom worldwide and discuss solutions for addressing challenges on this day. Each Conference is centered on a theme related to press freedom, like good governance, media coverage of terrorism, impunity and the role of media in post-conflict countries.
https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/news/world-press-freedom-day-2017/
The Theme selected for the 2016 celebration of the World Press Freedom Day was, “Access to Information and Fundamental Freedom – This is your Right”. Khadija Ismayilova, the renowned female journalist of Azerbaijan, was the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, for her articles being published against and revealing the corrupt practices and abuse of power by the President’s office in Azerbaijan, despite the harsh harassment faced by the journalist over last 6 years.
The theme approved by UNESCO for the 2017 World Press Freedom Day is “Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies”.