Quote from HE the Governor:

“World Press Freedom Day is about celebrating the fundamental principles of media freedom and defending journalists and media workers as they go about their job. The work the UK is doing to push the media freedom agenda forward is one of the top Foreign and Commonwealth Office priorities. Having a global spotlight shone on these kind of issues helps raise international awareness. Here in the Cayman Islands we are fortunate to have a lively and vibrant media. The media have an important responsibility for integrity and accuracy. A free media protects our right to speak out and our right to information. It enables society to be free, fair and open and can be the foundation for economic prosperity. It is important that we continue to see the media as underpinning the values of democracy and not as an adversary.”

Background:

The UK Foreign Secretary Mr Jeremy Hunt has launched an international campaign – “Defend Media Freedom” which aims to shine a spotlight on media freedom.  On 10 -11 July this year the first ever global ministerial-led media freedom conference will take place in London. It will be co-hosted by the UK and Canada and will involve over 1000 participants from across the world. It will bring together a range of government ministers and officials, multilateral agencies, civil society, the diplomatic community, academics, editors, publishers and journalists to debate the issue and take meaningful action to defend media freedom. The UK has a long history of an independent media. As long ago as 1863 Britain had 1,000 newspapers. Journalism is freedom of expression and the UK is committed to ensuring that journalists are able to do their jobs without fear.

2018 was the deadliest year for journalists when according to the United Nations, at least 99 journalists and media workers were killed. This is an increase of 15% on 2017 figures. NGO statistics estimate that almost 350 journalists are currently in detention with approximately 60 held hostage. These figures aren’t just for conflict zones – journalists around the world are being targeted in an effort to control their reporting. Almost 1000 journalists and media workers have been killed in the last decade with nine out of ten cases remaining unsolved.