*Become an Official Partner of World Press Freedom Day!* The 26th edition of the World Press Freedom Day will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on *1-3 May 2019 *(Main event: 2-3 May; Pre-events: 1 May). Jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union Commission, and the Government of Ethiopia under the theme ‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”, this year’s celebration will focus on the current challenges faced by media in times of elections, combatting disinformation, along with the media’s potential in supporting democracy, peace and reconciliation. Please find here <https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/wpfd2019_concept_note_en.pdf> the concept note for the event. As in previous years, the pre-events on 1 May and the breakout sessions on 2-3 May 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.* *Should you be interested in partnering for the **event in some other form*, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us (see contact details below). *Deadline for Drafts Submission* *5 February 2019* *Submit a 250-word description of the session*, with the proposed title, theme, format, as well as a tentative list of speakers + facilitator. Please note that joint submissions from 2-3 organizations are welcome but one organization should take on overall responsibility and act as focal point for communications with UNESCO. *The benefits of organizing a parallel session, and thus becoming an official partner of WPFD, include: * - Gaining access to an exceptional network of prominent international specialists in the fields of media development, journalism and the safety of journalists. - Being part of the largest celebration of press freedom in the world, which will be a valuable showcase for your organization’s work. - Your logo will be included in all publicity materials for WPFD and on the official event website. - As an official WPFD partner, you will have the possibility to use the 2019 World Press Freedom Day logo for all related activities. *Requirements:* *Proposers are invited to submit proposals for sessions under the following themes:* *1. How the digital era is affecting electoral communications.* *2. New attempts to inhibit 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* - UNESCO encourages out-of-the-box ideas and innovative formats (storytelling, team debates, lightning talks, etc.) that ensure interactive and engaging discussions. - In compliance with UNESCO’s policy, *respecting gender balance and diverse geographic representation* in all sessions. - Panel organizers are encouraged to include at least one Ethiopian panelist in each session, and suggestions of relevant Ethiopian panelists will be made by the WPFD Steering Committee. - In order to promote youth engagement, at least one speaker < 30 y.o. will be included in each panel. - For panel sessions, a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 speakers is recommended. *Responsibilities:* *The responsibilities of the session organizers include:* - Ensuring the design and planning of the session; - Covering costs of travel, accommodation and other travel related expenses of at least 5-7 participants (including the facilitator and speakers of your session); - Contacting the moderator and speakers to address logistical matters; - Identifying a rapporteur to produce a 1-page report on the session, based on a template to be provided by UNESCO. *We look forward to collaborating with you!* *For more information, contact:* UNESCO HQ Saorla McCabe s.mccabe@unesco.org UNESCO LO/Addis Ababa Lydia Gachungi l.gachungi@unesco.org <https://www.facebook.com/unesco> <https://twitter.com/unesco> <http://en.unesco.org/wpfd>