The regional conference is being organized jointly by UNESCO Kingston office, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) and the Mona School of Business - Media Research Unit.

The focus will be on the theme for World Press Freedom Day 2006, “Media and Poverty Eradication” with the sub theme, “Freedom of the Press and Human Development in the Caribbean”.

During this event, the Conference of Caribbean Media (CCM), the only regional forum which brings together both broadcast and print media professionals and organizations annually, will be refocused and re-launched. Cooperation between CBU and CANA to host the Secretariat for the CCM will be announced.

50 media owners, managers and workers, particularly journalists, from 20 Caribbean countries/islands, will comprise the main participation. In light of this year’s theme, however, participation will also include representatives from the Human Rights and development communities.

A public lecture on “Linking Freedom of the Press and Economic Development in Contemporary Caribbean Society” will be held during the opening ceremony. Other presentations/mini workshops will include:

The Role of Media in Caribbean Integration (Presenter TBA);

Empowering Citizens through Access to Information and Communication Media (Presenter TBA);

Caribbean Media and the UN MDGs.