This year’s celebration of World Press Freedom Day will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Around 150 participants, representing media institutions, NGOs, universities and other organizations are expected to attend this event.

The main theme of World Press Freedom Day 2006 is the correlation between media freedom and the eradication of poverty. The subject will be discussed by media specialists and other participants at a two-day conference on 1-2 May 2006. The World Press Freedom Prize will be awarded at the ceremony on 3 May 2006 to May Chidiac, a prominent Lebanese journalist, this year’s laureate on the recommendation of an independent jury.