Press Freedom Day 2025 holds in Romania

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) 32nd World Press Freedom Day Conference will hold from May 5 to 7, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania.

Themed, “Reporting in the brave new world: The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on press freedom and the media,” the conference will explore challenges and opportunities that AI presents for the right to information.

Press Freedom Day 2025 will also provide the opportunity to award the UNESCO/ Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. This recognises and honours contributions of journalists, particularly, those who risk their lives to provide essential information to the public.

The day will also serve as a platform to, reaffirm commitment to freedom of expression and press freedom as human rights enshrined in various international instruments, recognising their importance for the strengthening of democratic, pluralistic and inclusive societies; delve into the profound impacts of artificial intelligence on freedom of expression and press freedom, particularly in enhancing the principles of plurality and diversity of information and media content, with attention to socially underrepresented audiences; respond to the growing trend of AI-driven homogenisation in the global media landscape and discuss solutions; assess and discuss the situation of the right to press freedom globally, identifying good practices as well as areas where journalists and other media professionals face repression, violence, or censorship.

Other objectives include, establishing and strengthening ties between different actors, such as media organizations, NGOs, governments, and international bodies, to work together to promote and protect the right to press freedom; encourage global cooperation and legal harmonization to enhance protection for journalists and support the fundamental right to free speech in the digital age; promoting professional journalism that discusses the eradication of all types of discrimination and biases against women and calling for greater support for the media to strengthen their institutional capacities to better understand and integrate AI into their newsrooms and broader operations, paying special attention to the viability of the media and a more balanced representation of socially vulnerable audiences.

Recall the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day, observed 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 enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration.