1989 - 2001

November: The General Conference of UNESCO puts to rest the controversies around the "New World Information and Communication Order" (NWICO) and adopts a New Communication Strategy aiming "to encourage the free flow of information, at international as well as national levels, to promote the wider and better balanced dissemination of information, without any obstacle to freedom of expression, and to strengthen communication capacities in the developing countries in order to increase their participation in the communication process".

February: Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, an East-West Round Table in Paris brings together for the first time journalists and editors from the newly independent media of Central and Eastern Europe and their counterparts from Western Europe and North America. This is UNESCO's first concrete response to the end Cold War, and is viewed by professional media circles as a pioneer initiative. The New Communication strategy gets operational.

1991

May: The Seminar on promoting an independent and pluralistic African Press takes place in Windhoek (Namibia). It adopts the Declaration of Windhoek laying down the pre-conditions for the establishment of press freedom, media pluralism and independence in Africa.

October: The General Conference of UNESCO "invites the Director-General to extend to other regions of the world the actions taken so far in Africa and Europe; to celebrate the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration adopted on 3 May; (and) to transmit to the United Nations General Assembly the wish expressed by the Member States of UNESCO to have 3 May declared "International Press Freedom Day".

1992

February: UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) adapts its rules to the recommendations made in the Declaration of Windhoek. Henceforth, projects submitted by the private sector can obtain financial support from IPDC on the same basis as those initiated by the public sector.

September: With UNESCO's moral and financial support, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Action Alert Network is set up in Toronto to monitor the state of press freedom world wide. the network expands rapidly to all continents to reach by 1998 more than 300 subscribers, mainly from developing countries.

October: The Seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic Asian Media takes place in Almaty (Kazakstan). The Declaration of Alma-Ata extends the principles of the Declaration of Windhoek to the Asian continent.

December: UNESCO commits itself to "peace-making" and takes action to protect and reinforce independent media in war-torn Yugoslavia. In collaboration with professional media organizations, it launches the "SOS MEDIA" campaign in order to sensitize the public to the importance of non-partisan information in times of war. Furthermore, it gives financial, material and diplomatic support to the independent media in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia, that are on the verge of extinction because of their refusal to contribute to the war propaganda led by the "official" media.

1993

May: UNESCO's Director-General Federico Mayor is awarded the 1993 Press Freedom Prize of the International Federation of Newspaper Publishers (FIEJ). This recognition comes from the organization that in the 80s was among the fiercest critics of the Organization, when a violent polemic around NWICO led to the withdrawal of the United States and the United Kingdom from UNESCO.

December: The UN General Assembly declares 3 May, World Press Freedom Day.

1994

May: The Seminar on media development and democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean takes place in Santiago (Chile). The Declaration of Santiago reaffirms the principles of the Declaration of Windhoek for the Latin America and the Caribbean. President Eduardo Frei dedicates a square in Santiago to press freedom, naming it International Square of Freedom of the Press.

1995

February: An independent television (NTV 99) is inaugurated in Sarajevo thanks to the financial support of several European states and practical assistance of FORPRONU. UNESCO's media programme in former Yugoslavia receives over one million dollars from the European Union, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and other donors. UNESCO is nominated lead agency in the UN system for support to independent media in former Yugoslavia.

February: A UNESCO Symposium in Toronto on Women and the Media, Access to Expression and Decision-making; adopts the Toronto Platform for Action. This will serve as a basis for the Beijing Platform for Action (Section J) adopted in September. The UN Secretary-General, in his report to the Commission on the status of women; of 23 January 1996, will call the Toronto Platform for Action UNESCO's major contribution to the fourth World Conference on Women.

November: The General Conference of UNESCO endorses the Declarations of Windhoek, Almaty and Santiago. At the same time, the Member States adopt unanimously the Toronto Platform for Action.

1996

January: The Seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic Arab media takes place in Sana'a (Yemen). The Declaration of Sana'a validates the principles of the Declaration of Windhoek for the Arab region. May: In the context of the World Press Freedom Day (3 May) celebration at UNESCO Headquarters, UNESCO's Consultative Group for Press Freedom, made up of sixteen eminent journalists and editors from all regions, is introduced to Member States and major media professional organizations. Federico Mayor announces the creation of World Press Freedom Prize. Six heads of state (France, Jordan, Nicaragua, the Philippines, South Africa and the United States) and the UN Secretary-General send messages to UNESCO stressing the importance of press freedom for democracy. On the same day, nine international media organizations, which in the past had fought against UNESCO's policy in communication (NWICO), send messages to the US President and the British Prime Minister encouraging them to rejoin UNESCO.

1997

May: On 3 May, in Bilbao, Federico Mayor awards the first UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to the Chinese journalist Gao YU imprisoned in her country for professional activities. Eight international media organizations write to the Director-General to express their appreciation of his firm and unflinching support of a free press around the globe.

June: The Director-General creates a Unit for Freedom of Expression and Democracy. Its mission is to consolidate and develop UNESCO's role in promoting freedom of expression as a basic human right, essential to democracy. It is called upon to act swiftly at all times, whenever and wherever freedom of expression is in jeopardy.

July: The United Kingdom rejoins UNESCO. September: The European seminar on promoting independent and pluralistic media takes place in Sofia (Bulgaria). The Declaration of Sofia pledges support to the Declaration of Windhoek and thus confirms the universality of its principles.

November: The General Conference of UNESCO endorses the Declarations of Sana'a and Sofia. It confirms that freedom of expression is a fundamental right of everyone and is essential to the realization of all the rights set forth in international human rights instruments. It also invites the Director-General to condemn the assassination and any physical violence against journalists as a crime against society; and to request the authorities to discharge their duty of preventing, investigating and punishing such crimes and remedying their consequences.

1998

February: UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize goes to the imprisoned Nigerian journalist Christina Ayanwu.

March: The Interamerican Press Association (IAPA/SIP) awards the Director-General of UNESCO the First Chapultepec Grand Prize; for his consistent and dedicated work in the promotion of freedom of the press.

June: UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor today hailed the announced liberation of nine Nigerian political prisoners, among them Christina Anyanwu, director of The Sunday Magazine and laureate of the 1998 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

November: The UNESCO Chair on Freedomof Expression is set up at the La Plata National University in Argentina.

1999

February: Chinese journalist Gao YU, laureate of the 1997 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is released from prison.

May: Mexican journalist, Jesús Blancornelas, the victim of a murder attempt by drug traffickers, is awarded the 1999 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. The award ceremony takes place in Bogotá, at the invitation of the Guillermo Cano Foundation.

November: Launch of the UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem.

2000

February: UNESCO Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, signs the World Press Freedom Committee's "Charter for a Free Press". During the ceremony, the Director-General reiterated UNESCO's commitment to freedom of expression, saying it will be very attentive in addressing any initiative concerning intrenational regulation of ethics, practices and content on the Internet or satellite broadcasting. Whenever crimes are committed through the Internet, "action should target the criminals and not the medium", he said.

March: Syrian journalist Nizar Nayyouf, in prison since 1992 for his professional activities, is awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

May: Round Table in Geneva on "The Media in Conflict and Post-conflict Areas" jointly organised by UNESCO and the Swiss Federal Department of Froeign Affairs, with the co-operation of the UN High Commission for Human Rights and several professional media associations. This event is held within the framework of the celebration of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.

November: Seminar on Independent and Pluralistic Media held in Croatia.

2001

March: Jailed Myanmar journalist U Win Tin is awarded the 2001 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

May: UNESCO celebrates World Press Freedom Day in Windhoek. The award-giving ceremony of the 2001 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize and a conference of some journalists, editors, and representatives of ngos and professional organizations from Africa and the rest of the world marked thye 10th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration.

May: World Press Freedom Laureate Nizar Nayyouf was freed from jail on May 6.

September 2001