Journalism as a Public Good: 30 Years of the Windhoek Declaration

新闻工作的公益物职能——纪念《温得和克宣言》发表30周年

 

Secretary-General’s Video Message on World Press Freedom Day 2021

联合国秘书长2021世界新闻自由日视频致辞

 

3 May 2021

2021年5月3日

 

The global challenges we have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic underline the critical role of reliable, verified and universally accessible information in saving lives and building strong, resilient societies.

2019冠状病毒大流行期间发生的全球性挑战突显了普遍获取可靠并经核实的信息对于拯救生命、建设强大而有韧性的社会发挥着关键作用。

 

During the pandemic, and in other crises including the climate emergency, journalists and media workers help us navigate a fast-changing and often overwhelming landscape of information, while addressing dangerous inaccuracies and falsehoods.

无论在此次疫情期间，还是在气候紧急情况等危机中，记者和媒体工作者都帮助我们掌握瞬息万变、往往令人应接不暇的信息图景，并帮助我们辨别危险的不准确信息和虚假信息。

 

In too many countries, they run great personal risks, including new restrictions, censorship, abuse, harassment, detention and even death, simply for doing their jobs. And the situation continues to worsen.

然而在不少国家，记者和媒体工作者仅仅因为自己所从事的工作便承担着巨大的个人风险，包括面临新限制规定、被审查、被虐待、被骚扰、被拘留，甚至丧失生命，且情况仍在恶化。

 

The economic impact of the pandemic has hit many media outlets hard, threatening their very survival. As budgets tighten, so too does access to reliable information. Rumours, falsehoods and extreme or divisive opinions surge in to fill the gap.

疫情的经济影响使许多媒体机构遭遇沉重打击，生存受到威胁。由于财政预算的收缩，获取可靠信息的途径也随之收缩。填补这一缺口的是蜂拥而起的谣言、谎言、极端言论、分裂性观点。

 

I urge all governments to do everything in their power to support a free, independent and diverse media.

我敦促各国政府尽其所能支持自由、独立、多样化的媒体。

 

Free and independent journalism is our greatest ally in combatting misinformation and disinformation.

自由独立的新闻界是我们打击错误信息、虚假信息的最强大盟友。

 

The United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists aims to create a safe environment for media workers across the globe – because information is a public good.

《联合国关于记者安全的行动计划》旨在为全球媒体工作者创造安全的环境，因为信息具有公益物职能。

 

Today, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic African Press. Despite dramatic changes in the media over the past three decades, the Declaration’s urgent call for press freedom and free access to information is as relevant as ever.

今天，我们纪念《促进非洲报刊独立和多元的温得和克宣言》发表30周年。30年来媒体发生了巨大变化，但《宣言》为实行新闻自由、自由获取信息所发出的迫切呼吁仍一如既往地具有现实意义。

 

Let’s reflect on its message, and renew our efforts to protect media freedom – so that information remains a lifesaving public good for all.

让我们思考《宣言》所传达的讯息，更加大力保护媒体自由，使新闻工作继续为全人类发挥拯救生命的公益物职能。