CAPE TOWN: Telling Africa's stories to Africans and the world
Video address from Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prizewinner and Archbishop of Cape Town
In a live video feed, Tutu welcomed all media people to this 16th World Editors Forum and 60thconference of the World Association of Newspapers in South Africa.
He extolled the crucial role of the media in the democratization of many African countries in particular, especially in ensuring regular, relatively free and fair elections.
The media’s role in exposing power abuse and keeping citizens informed about government’s actions can never be overestimated. Naturally, the media often become the victim of their own watchdog functions, when journalists face imprisonment and censorship.
Bishop Tutu lamented the death of press freedom and democracy in our neighboring country, Zimbabwe, where newspaper practitioners have “been firebombed or press-ganged into closing”.
He nonetheless urged the press to never lose hope, as the International Press Institute’s World Press Freedom Review of 2006 shows that sub-Saharan Africa is no longer the world’s worst enemies of press freedom.
Bishop Tutu praised the South African Editors Forum (SANEF) for their untiring efforts to protect and advance media freedom in Africa.
“Tell these stories and tell them well and you will continue to assist us find the age of hope!”
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