JAKARTA, Inlink.id — The World Peace Organization (WPO) reaffirms that World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), observed every May 3, is not merely a commemoration but a global moral imperative to protect the right to information, expression, and truth.
Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, WPFD serves as a reminder to all nations that a free, independent, and pluralistic press is fundamental to peace, justice, and sustainable development. This principle is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Press freedom is the oxygen of civilization,” stated Dr. Bambang Herry Purnomo, S.H., M.H., President of WPO, in an official statement released in Jakarta on Thursday, 23 April 2026. “Where the press is silenced, injustice grows. Where journalists are protected, democracy thrives and peace becomes possible.”
WPO emphasized that WPFD has three universal mandates: to assess the state of press freedom worldwide, to defend media independence from political or economic interference, and to honor journalists who have been persecuted, imprisoned, or killed in pursuit of truth.
To mark this pivotal day, WPO, in partnership with Forum Wartawan Jaya (FWJ) Indonesia, will host a two-day commemoration of World Press Freedom Day on 2–3 May 2026 at Wisma Arga Muncar, Puncak, Bogor, West Java.
“May 3 carries profound historical weight,” the President noted. “It commemorates the 1991 Windhoek Declaration — a landmark charter drafted by African journalists in Namibia that laid the foundation for modern press freedom standards. Honoring this date means honoring the courage of those who defend truth under threat.”
The event will convene 150 to 300 journalists, academics, and civil society leaders from across Indonesia and international partners, reflecting WPO’s commitment to grassroots engagement and global dialogue.
WPO also highlighted that UNESCO’s annual global conference during this period addresses urgent challenges facing journalism today — from digital safety and disinformation to the physical protection of reporters in conflict zones.
In response to public inquiries, WPO clarified the distinction between two observances often conflated in Indonesia: “World Press Freedom Day is a United Nations-designated international observance held every May 3. It addresses global challenges to free expression. Indonesia’s National Press Day, celebrated on February 9, commemorates the founding of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) and remains a vital national tradition. Both are important, but their mandates and scope differ.”
WPO reiterates its stance: a peaceful world cannot exist without a free press, and a free press cannot survive without global solidarity.
*WPO — Peace is Action, Peace is A Must.*
