World Press Freedom Day in Uzbekistan

Read in Uzbek | O'zbek tilida o'qish

On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, the Media Week entitled 'New Uzbekistan. New View' was launched on 3 May 2021 at the Youth Creativity Palace in Tashkent. The Media Week will take place from 3 to 7 May.

It will bring together current journalists, technical experts and media professionals, as well as young journalists in one place.

On behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO Ms Audrey Azoulay, Mr Xing Qu, the Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, addressed the opening of the Media Week 'New Uzbekistan. New View'.

In the video message, he highlighted the role of free and professional journalists in producing and disseminating information, as well as in combating misinformation and other harmful content, and described UNESCO's efforts to promote journalism.

We are working to create more transparency on online platforms in areas such as content moderation, while respecting human rights and international freedom of expression rules. We are equipping citizens with the Media and Information Literacy skills they need to navigate this new information landscape, so they can avoid being duped or manipulated online.

Moreover, on 3 May, the Official Ceremony of Awarding the Winners of the International Contest for the 15th National Prize 'Oltin Kalam' ('Golden Pen'), traditionally held on the World Press Freedom Day in Uzbekistan, took place at the Turkistan Palace.

Mr Jan Hladík, the Head of the UNESCO Tashkent Office and the UNESCO Representative to Uzbekistan, addressed the participants with a welcoming video message.

In particular, he stated that for 15 years the Oltin Kalam Contest has provided an opportunity to identify the best professionals in the field of journalism and give them public recognition for their contribution to the development of journalism in Uzbekistan.

Click here to open the full message in English and Uzbek

Also, as part of the WPFD Voices initiative, video messages from two well-known journalists in Uzbekistan - Ms Gulnara Babadjanova, the Director of the In-Service Training Centre for Journalists of Uzbekistan, and Ms Nazira Inoyatova, radio journalist and programme director of Avtoradio Uzbekistan, were recorded and posted.

Open the video of Ms Gulnara Babadjanova in English | Uzbek

Open the video of Ms Gulnara Babadjanova in English | Uzbek

Background:

Media Week is organized by the National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan (NAEMM), MY5 TV Channel, the Parliamentary Commission for the Management of the Public Fund for Support of NGOs and Other Civil Society Institutions under the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, Journalism and Mass Communications University, the Agency of Cinematography of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Youth Union of Uzbekistan.

The Oltin Kalam ('Golden Pen') Contest is organized by the Creative Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan and the In-Service Training Centre for Journalists of Uzbekistan.