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Hemispheric Forum on Freedom of Expression

The American Society of News Editors is one of the organizers of an unprecedented regional forum on press freedom in North, Central and South America at the Institute of the Americas at the University of California, San Diego, April 4-5. The forum immediately precedes ASNE's Convention to be held April 6-9 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina.

The American Society of News Editors is one of the organizers of an unprecedented regional forum on press freedom in North, Central and South America at the Institute of the Americas at the University of California, San Diego on April 4-5.

The forum will precede the concurrent meetings of the ASNE Convention and the Midyear Meeting of the Inter American Press Association, to be held April 6-9 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina.

Institute President Jeffrey Davidow, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and Venezuela, has made the call to some 100 media leaders, freedom of expression advocates and presidents of Latin American supreme courts and constitutional courts and national assemblies to come to the “Hemispheric Forum on Freedom of Expression (Foro Hemisférico sobre Libertad de Expresión)”:

Jeff Davidow

“The IAPA has declared 2011 the year of Freedom of Expression in the region and hopes to use this forum to raise awareness about the dangers and risks confronting journalists in Latin America.

“The two-day event will focus on the rights and responsibilities of the media, the limits on freedom of expression within the Inter American legal system, the increasing violence against journalism and the impact of political repression in our region.”

Among those who have already confirmed participation:

Catalina Botero, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States.

Pedro Nikken, former president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Alberto Bailey, president of the National Tribunal of Journalism Ethics in Bolivia.

Jayme Sirotsky, former president of the World Association of Newspapers.

Claudio Grossman, dean of the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, D.C.

ASNE and IAPA collaborated with other organizations to convene a summit meeting of editors from news organizations in December at the University of Texas at El Paso to focus on news coverage and journalist safety issues along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Financial supporters of the press freedom forum in San Diego include the McCormick Foundation, TV Azteca and the International Press Institute. The forum program will take place in Spanish, with simultaneous English interpretation.

For information, contact S. Lynne Walker, vice president of the Institute of the Americas.

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