PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa is scheduled to grace this year’s national commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) to be held in Dodoma city on May 3.

Deogratius Nsokolo, president of the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) said this in Dar es Salaam yesterday, adding that this year’s WPFD theme is ‘Press for the planet: Journalism in the face of the environmental crisis.’

WPFD is held around the world every 3 May every year since the United Nations approved the day in 1993. In 2024, the day is dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis.

Nsokolo said that in Tanzania, stakeholders and journalists have continued to celebrate the day by engaging in various activities, including a national meeting that goes along with the slogans that carry or lead the celebration.

He said that the celebration is important because it helps to promote understanding of journalists about various cross-cutting issues that the media industry should speak about, including reminding the society about the importance of protecting and respecting the freedom of the media and respecting the right to freedom of expression and right to get information.

“The WPFD celebration event brings journalists to celebrate the basic principles of press freedom, to evaluate the state of the media in the country and also this celebration serves as an opportunity to stimulate dialogue about the responsibilities of journalists in promoting transparency, accountability and democracy in the country," he said.

He said the celebrations provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions on various issues affecting the media industry, including protection and safety of journalists in the country, gender equality, technology and innovation, the economy of the media and stimulating changes in various policies and laws related to media in order to create a good environment for journalists to work.

Mobhare Matinyi, Chief Government Spokesperson, said the celebration is an important platform to raise various challenges faced by journalists, including policy ones and look at the way activities of media industry are conducted in the country.

He said that before the day of the celebration, there will be a conference of media stakeholders where various opinions will be asked and the government will take and work on them to continue improving the environment of journalism in the country.

"Thomas Jefferson who was President of the United States once said that if he had to choose between a government without the media or media without a government, he would choose the latter. Although it is impossible to have a media without the government, the American leader was conveying a message about the importance of the media," he said.

Kalisha Holmes, representative of the American Embassy in the country, said that the WPFD is important and the United States has always been side by side with journalist institutions to make the day a success.

"The United States is very proud to be part of this year's celebration of WPFD and the American Ambassador here in the country, Michael Battle, has promised to attend this year's celebrations in Dodoma," she said.