Miami, (Oct. 5).–The Inter American Press Association today began a four-day national
forum in Chile in which lawyers, journalists, representatives
of press organizations and local human rights activists have come
together to explore the state of press freedom and the laws that
regulate it.
This first IAPA-sponsored national forum is being held at the
Catholic University of Chile. Among those taking part in the opening
sessions today are the president of the National Press Association,
Cristián Zegers; the dean of the Catholic University’s School
of Journalism, Silvia Pellegrini; professors Emilio Filippi and
Abraham Santibañez, and Congresswoman María Pía Guzmán.
The basic working document are the 10 principles on free speech
and press freedom contained in Declaration of Chapultepec, drafted
in Mexico in 1994. With this as a basis, the participants are
examining laws and regulations restricting or preventing freedom
of expression in Chile.
The forum’s agenda includes an overview of legislation affecting
the press in the Americas, the proposed press law in Chile and
how legal restrictions in that country contradict the Chapultepec
principles.
On Wednesday, the program will include a roundtable at the National
Press Association’s premises in which strategies will be suggested
on how to get rid of legal constraints on a free press and the
unfettered practice of journalism.
As part of the program, the IAPA delegation, made up of Executive
Director Julio Muñoz, Chapultepec Project Lawyer Jairo Lanao and
Project Administrator Sean Casey, is scheduled to meet with Education
Minister Juan Pablo Arellano Marín to explore how the Declaration
of Chapultepec might be given support through educational channels.
The IAPA representatives will also meet with the deans of six
university journalism schools to give presentations suggesting
inclusion of Chapultepec in their curricula.
The aim of the national forum is to act as a catalyst for local
initiatives in the universities, professional organizations and
other community groups in order to raise consciousness of the
value of free speech and press freedom.