Miami (September 23, 2024) – The President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, will open the 80th General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), which will take place in Córdoba, Argentina, from October 17 to 20.
The participation of the Paraguayan president underscores the significance of the event, which will address crucial topics such as the mutual impact of democratic decline on press and expression freedoms, media sustainability, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence in journalism.
Jaffer Zaidi, Google's Vice President of News Partnerships, will also attend the event to provide his perspective on Google's role in the evolution of journalism in the digital era. His presence reinforces the IAPA's focus on analyzing both the opportunities and challenges that new technologies present to media outlets across the continent.
In light of the profound technological advancements over the past six years, the IAPA will update the Declaration of Salta on Freedom of Expression in the Digital Era, which was initially approved in Argentina during the 74th General Assembly in the city of Salta in 2018. The new document will aim to reflect IAPA's ongoing commitment to freedom of expression amidst the challenges posed by emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence.
Under the slogan "Journalism of the present, journalism of the future", the assembly will feature distinguished editors, such as Marty Baron, former editor of The Washington Post, who will offer his perspective on the presidential elections in the United States, to be held on Tuesday, November 5.
The special rapporteur for freedom of expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Pedro Vaca, will refer to the recent IACHR report on "Digital Inclusion and Internet Content Governance". And Gina Chua, executive editor of global news startup Semafor, will present on a panel on artificial intelligence applied to journalism.
The preliminary program is available at this link.
During the event, the IAPA awards for journalistic excellence will be presented in its 13 categories, with which the organization distinguishes journalistic works of exceptional quality produced by reporters and media outlets in the continent.
In addition, the Grand Prize for Press Freedom, awarded this year to Journalism in Exile, will honor colleagues and media outlets in Latin that have increasingly been forced to internally displace or migrate to other countries due to violence, threats, and persecution by criminal groups, corrupt officials, and authoritarian governments. This award highlights the resilience and continued commitment of journalists and media to the truth, despite facing extremely difficult circumstances.
The Chapultepec Grand Prize, the organization's highest distinction, will be awarded in 2024 to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). This award highlights "commendable work in favor of press freeodm and freedom of expression as part of its fight and promotion for human rights," principles embodied in the Chapultepec Declaration." CPJ's CEO Jodie Ginsberg will receive the award.
The IAPA will also honor the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas with the Great Friend of the Press Award. This recognition is due to the Center's fundamental role in the training and development of journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean, thus strengthening the foundations of free and informed journalism. Rosental Calmon Alves, its founder and director, will receive the award.
A previous activity is also scheduled for Wednesday 16 at the Siglo 21 University, with its state-of-the-art facilities designed based on a master plan drawn up by the renowned architect César Pelli, to analyze, together with academics from that university, the challenges that the context poses to media management.
Registrations are still open and those interested can register at this link. Additional details about the event, or specific inquiries, should be directed to Ms. Paola Dirube, [email protected]. The Quinto Centenario Hotel will host the event and reservations are available at this link.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
