By IANS,
New Delhi : A two-day conference on the role of media in promoting human rights got underway in the capital Thursday, with participation of media organisations from various countries.
Organised by the Press Council of India (PCI), the conference was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni. The conference is titled ‘Freedom of Expression and Human Rights’.
Participants included media organisations from Australia, Austria, Turkey, Israel, Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia, among others.
“The international concern on the role of the media in promoting universal human rights prompted us to organise this colloquium,” PCI secretary Vibha Bhargava said.
“The deliberations among various media persons of different organisations will lay emphasis on the freedom of expression vis-a-vis rights of the civil society, media as a defender of human rights, reporting of human right excesses and promoting peace journalism,” she added.
“Further, this platform will be an opportunity for the media to adjudge its promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and also the exchange views of the press scenario in different parts of the world,” Bhargava added.