About this episode

Gwen Lister discusses the origins of World Press Freedom Day and the significance of the Windhoek declaration.

In April 1991, journalists from 38 African countries came together in Namibia for a week-long seminar to discuss the need for a free, independent and pluralistic press on the continent. When discussions ended after five days on 3 May, they had created the Windhoek declaration - a declaration of free press principles. Later that year, Unesco’s general conference endorsed the declaration. In 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. It is marked annually around the world. Gwen Lister was a newspaper editor at the time and chaired the seminar. She tells Jen Dale about the conference and the personal costs of standing up for press freedom. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier…

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