*Dear Listers,* Every year, 3 May is set aside to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. UNESCO also uses the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, to give the annual UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, which honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and, or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, and especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. Applications currently open and details are available on this link https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-seeking-nominations-unescoguillermo-cano-w... Herewith attached is the concept note for the 2019 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference taking place at the African Union HQ in Addis Ababa from May 1-3, 2019. The concept note is also available on this link https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/wpfd2019_concept_note_summary_en.p... The 2019 global conference is Jointly organised and by UNESCO, the African Union and the Government of Ethiopia, under the theme *‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation’. *This theme is closely interlinked with the objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which seeks to promote “an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law”. In this context, World Press Freedom Day 2019 will address the following sub-themes: 1. How the digital era is affecting electoral communications. 2. New attempts to undermine media’s role in democracy: Discrediting professional journalism, and disrupting Internet access. 3. Media’s potential to contribute to a culture of sustainable peace and democracy Online Registration https://en.unesco.org/news/registrations-now-open-world-press-freedom-day-20... A call for an academic conference can be accessed via this link https://en.unesco.org/news/academic-conference-safety-journalists-call-paper... *Format* The pre-events on May 1, 2019 and the breakout sessions on May 2 and 3, 2019 will be organized by a range of partners from *civil society, intergovernmental organizations and the private sector*. Calls for proposals are now open from potential partners wishing to participate in the event by taking on the role of* organizer of a breakout session.* Please share this information with your networks and should you be interested in partnering in any way, do not hesitate to get in touch with us (see contact details below). *For more information, contact:* UNESCO HQ, Paris Saorla McCabe s.mccabe@unesco.org UNESCO Liaison Office to AU and UNECA, Addis Ababa Lydia Gachungi l.gachungi@unesco.org