Through events, statements, op-eds in national media, joint video messages and more, members of the Media Freedom Coalition marked World Press Freedom Day 2026 around the world.
Acting through central government and embassies, MFC member countries highlighted the importance of media freedom to democracy and society, and expressed solidarity with journalists, including those who are under threat. Overall, the MFC Secretariat recorded more than 45 activities across at least 28 countries.
On 5th May, the MFC co-hosted a virtual event alongside the Freedom Online Coalition entitled “Preventing Internet Shutdowns to Protect Press Freedom and Digital Rights”.
The session, which is now available to watch here, was originally planned to take place in Lusaka at the global World Press Freedom Day conference. However, with the postponement of RightsCon in the same week, many events moved online. The MFC co-chairs made a statement about RightsCon here.
The event featured a panel discussion looking at global trends on internet shutdowns, the impact on journalists and the public, the policy safeguards governments should adopt to prevent shutdowns, and the role of international standards and pressure, as well as the Media Freedom Coalition itself.
The session was opened by Katja Pehrman, Human Rights Ambassador of MFC co-chair Finland, and Sylvie Coudray, the Director for Freedom of Expression, Media Development and Media and Information Literacy at UNESCO.
The panel featured Catherine Gicheru, founder of the Africa Women Journalism Project, Nompilo Simanje of the International Press Institute and MFC Consultative Network, Catherine Anite of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom, Elonnai Hickock of the Global Network Initiative and FOC Advisory Network, and Stefan Kossoff of the UK’s FCDO.
During the discussion, moderator Catherine Gicheru said, “When connectivity is shut, journalists lose not only access to their sources and their audiences, but citizens are also cut off from receiving critical information. The space for independent reporting, debate and accountability shrinks, often at the very moment when citizens need to be able to access information.”
Reflecting on the discussion, Jorge Cancio, Co-Director of International Relations at the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) of Switzerland (FOC chair) said, “This is not a problem that any one actor can solve. The multi-stakeholder model is not always easy, but today’s session demonstrates why it is indispensable.”
In honour of World Press Freedom Day, ministers Elina Valtonen of Finland and Chris Elmore of the UK, representing the MFC co-chairs, published a joint op-ed on the importance of a free, independent and pluralistic media in both achieving and sustaining peace. They can be found here and here.
The UK and Finland also mobilised their embassies globally, resulting in a number of embassy-level joint op-eds published in national media, including in Kenya, Namibia, the Philippines, Ghana and elsewhere.
MFC embassy networks also published joint statements, including in Bangladesh and Malta, while in Georgia the MFC co-chairs published an op-ed which was then endorsed by over 10 other member countries.
MFC members also marked World Press Freedom Day through events, stakeholder meetings, panel discussions and diplomatic engagement with journalists, civil society and media organisations.
A coordinated event in Geneva on the protection of journalists in exile and transnational repression was sponsored by Estonia, Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, Belgium, Finland, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. Can Yeginsu, Deputy Co-Chair of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts also participated in the discussion, which focused on the growing threats faced by journalists forced to continue their work outside of their home countries.
In the Philippines, Finland and the UK hosted a lunch with journalists, where they heard about the media climate in the Philippines, the challenges facing independent journalism and why press freedom must be protected. In Canada, Germany, Finland and the UK co-hosted an event to address the growing challenges of disinformation and cognitive warfare.
In Ghana, the UK and the Netherlands co-hosted an event to mark World Press Freedom Day, and were joined by various other MFC members, including Ghana, to discuss safeguarding press freedom amid misinformation, disinformation and information manipulation.
While this is only a snapshot of the activities around the world, other embassy-led initiatives included
- a media breakfast hosted by the embassy of Canada in Cameroon;
- an evening on journalism hosted by the embassy of the Netherlands in Turkey;
- a morning tea hosted by the Australian High Commission to the Cook Islands;
- a Media Thanksgiving Day hosted by the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the EU;
- a roundtable discussion with Palestinian journalists co-hosted by the UK in Jerusalem and Canada in Palestine;
- and a panel discussion hosted by the Consulate General of Sweden in Istanbul.
While the MFC was not present in Lusaka, the MFC Secretariat hosted an online briefing with member embassies in Lusaka, Zambia. British High Commissioner Rebecca Terzeon joined the discussion and delivered opening remarks.
Through coordinated diplomacy, public advocacy, events and direct engagement with journalists, MFC members reaffirmed their commitment to protecting those who report in the public interest.
