U.S. Embassy Collaborates With SLAJ And Others to Reflect on World Press Freedom Day

The U.S Embassy of Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist has held a Panel Dissusion on World Press Freedom Day today, Friday , May 03, 2024 at the American Shelf Fourah Bay College with the topic Press Freedom and its Importance to Democracy

Key among the representatives were Bockarie Bawoh, Deputy Minister, MoICE, Bryan D. Hunt U.S Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Estina Taylor, President WIMSAL, Ahmed S. Nasrallah, President SLAJ and Asmaa James, CEO of Rise Radio.

SLAJ Journalist of the Year, Amadu Lamarana Bah, served as the Moderator of the Program. Bah holds  the view that more than any other time, Sierra Leone needs a Public Interest media that will be truthful and Independent.

“I strongly believe that there should be no government if there is no free and independent press. We need a government that will allow the media to hold them accountable and a media that will be TRUTHFUL and accountable to the public,” Bah Stated.

World Press Freedom Day 2024: Theme
“A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis” is the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2024. The theme of World Press Freedom Day changes every year.
• Informing the public about the problems and solutions facing the environment.
• Holding corporations and governments to accept responsibility for environmental actions.
• Influencing concrete action to address pressing environmental problems like climate change.

World Press Freedom Day is significant for bringing attention to the significance of press freedom in a society. Its purpose is to guarantee that the general public has access to information and that the government respects the people’s right to free speech.

This day also aims to bring attention to the difficulties that journalists and media organisations all over the world face, such as threats, censorship, and violence.