[WSIS CS-Plenary] FW: [eccr] Emphasis on Freedom of Expression in Concluding Documents of aWSIS Follow-up Conference, 2 Dec. 2004, Marrakech

[Myriam Horngren]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-eccr at listserv.vub.ac.be
[mailto:owner-eccr at listserv.vub.ac.be] On Behalf Of Jan Servaes
Sent: 21 December 2004 20:54
To: ECCR Mailing list
Subject: [eccr] Emphasis on Freedom of Expression in Concluding
Documents of aWSIS Follow-up Conference, 2 Dec. 2004, Marrakech


Emphasis on Freedom of Expression in Concluding Documents of a WSIS
Follow-up Conference


2 December 2004

Freedom of expression and press freedom are at the core of the
construction of an inclusive and people-centred knowledge society stated
the concluding documents of a three-day UNESCO-supported conference on
the role of African and Arab media in the Information Society, which
took place from 22 to 24 November 2004 in Marrakech. 

The conference was organised by the Moroccan Ministry of Information on
the initiative of the International Network of UNESCO Chairs in
Communication (ORBICOM) and the Swiss Federal Office of Communication as
a follow-up meeting to the 1st phase of the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS). More than 270 representatives of
international and regional media professional and non-governmental
organisations as well as media experts from the academic world and the
media industry participated in the event. 

The conference's themes for discussion included the media's place in the
information society; media freedom in cyberspace; impact of the digital
divide on media; media and cultural diversity; women in the media; media
ownership issues and the media's position in Internet governance. 

The Marrakech Declaration and the Plan of Action adopted by the
conference participants stressed the importance of allowing journalists
to carry out their duties without interference from governments. It also
emphasized that press freedom stems from the level of governments'
commitment to democratic values. The Marrakech Declaration prominently
reaffirmed Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
saying that "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression" and implicitly recognized that many governments only pay lip
service to such freedom inviting them to move from the "promise of
Article 19 to its universal implementation". 

Further, the Marrakech Declaration claimed that media should be involved
as full partners in the construction of the Information Society,
emphasizing media's vital function of gathering, checking, producing and
distributing diverse news and content. Participants reiterated the role
of a free press in holding governments accountable to the people, by
accurately reporting on their activities and plans, by providing a forum
for open debates so that policy makers can assess public opinion. In
this context the Marrakech Declaration stressed the importance of
domestic legislations guaranteeing the independence and plurality of
media in order to allow them to function effectively and responsibly. 

The Marrakech forum spoke out unequivocally about not allowing concerns
of Internet governance to open the door for heavy handed regulation of
the internet. The Marrakech Declaration encouraged "better cooperation
on Internet management" and called for "respect of multilinguism" and
"affordable global connectivity". It also emphasized that "national
security and the battle against crime and terrorism" should not be used
as a pretext to imperil freedom of expression and press freedom. 

The Moroccan Minister of Information, Mr Mohammed Nabil Benabdallah is
sending the Marrakech Declaration and Plan of Action to the UN
Secretary-General in order to be presented to the preparatory meeting of
the 2nd phase of the World Summit on the Information Society with the
expectation that its recommendations will influence the outcome of the
final summit in Tunisia in 2005.

Source: UNESCO

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Professor Jan Servaes
Head
School of Journalism and Communication
University of Queensland
St.Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Tel: +61 7 3365 6115 or 3088
Fax: +61 7 3365 1377
Email: j.servaes at uq.edu.au
URL: http://www.uq.edu.au/sjc/
CRICOS Code 0025B
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