Unesco Director-General calls Uruguay "a country of freedom"

Uruguay hosted the annual World Press Freedom Day conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). At the meeting, which lasted from Monday, May 2 to Thursday, May 5, the country set up a stand to receive the more than 800 participants from 86 countries, including politicians, legal experts, journalists and media representatives who arrived in the country to attend the meeting.

There, visitors were able to learn more about the country in terms of tourism, culture, investment opportunities and export sectors. The stand provided a relaxed space to hold meetings and take advantage of high-level networking.

The meeting, the first to be held in Uruguay and which returned to Latin America after 10 years, was attended by the President of the Republic, Luis Lacalle Pou, who was accompanied by several representatives of his cabinet of ministers and gave an opening speech.

"I hope you enjoy the best country in the world, the most beautiful, which is obviously strongly influenced by our geography, our landscapes, but, above all, by what I call 'human geography'. The great difference of our country is its people," the president began.

On freedom of the press, the theme of the conference, he pointed out that we are living through a change of era that is "very stimulating and attractive", and at the same time challenging, with a horizontal form of communication between citizens and those in power.

"In this context, we have to give peace of mind and certainty to the journalist's profession, not only in terms of freedom of opinion, which, of course, is fundamental, but also in terms of freedom of work", he said.

The president reflected on the importance of "putting the brakes" on the first definition of freedom of the press and respect for the journalist's profession, as well as on the relevance of making the media sustainable in the face of the "stalking of the new digital press". "Uruguay will continue to maintain a general and unrestricted respect for freedom, of course with responsibility, as it has done throughout its history," he closed.

The Director General of Unesco, Audrey Azoulay participated in the opening together with Lacalle Pou. "It is an honor and a pleasure to celebrate this day in an exceptional setting such as Punta del Este. Here in a country of freedom, a republic that has enshrined in its constitution that it is entirely free in all matters of communication of thoughts," she said.

Azoulay also praised Uruguay for its international press freedom ranking, adding that the country committed a year ago, at a time of great health uncertainty, to organize the world press freedom conference. "This commitment to international cooperation and press freedom once again confirms Uruguay's unique place in the community of nations and a country friendly to Unesco," he stressed.

The conference was organized under the theme "Journalism under Digital Siege," and delved into the impact of the digital age on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy.

The conference program included some 40 plenary and parallel sessions organized by UNESCO and its partners, a youth newsroom organized by local universities, an academic conference, performances and cultural events.