From News Literacy to ‘Newsgames’: Conversations Celebrating World Press Freedom Day

On the occasion of 2018 World Press Freedom Day, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is collaborating with the News Literacy Project (NLP) on two panels at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. World Press Freedom Day was initially proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. This year, UNAOC is supporting this initiative by organizing two open conversations underscoring the role of news literacy education in promoting civil discourse and freedom of speech. The initial panel will feature prominent journalists and educators and it will focus on the role of press freedom internationally. The second panel will look at innovative forms of journalism, such as “newsgames,” virtual reality reporting and internet-based new media journalism, along with classical documentary filmmaking and journalism cartoons. In addition, the event will highlight NLP’s new lesson on world press freedoms, which is being developed as part of an expanded and upgraded version of NLP’s checkology® virtual classroom. NLP is the leading provider of news literacy education in secondary schools in the United States. 10:00 – 11:30 am Panelists: Brian Stelter, CNN’s senior media correspondent, host of Reliable Sources Farnaz Fassihi, Senior Writer, The Wall Street Journal, Patrick Butler, vice president of programs, International Center for Journalists Maria Salazar-Ferro, emergencies director, Committee to Protect Journalists Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, Director, Lie Detectors Moderator: Alan C. Miller, founder and CEO, News Literacy Project 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Panelists: Navid Khonsari, founder, iNK Stories games company Christine Choy, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Liza Donnelly, cartoonist, The New Yorker Jake Horowitz,co-founder, MIC Moderator: Jordi Torrent, Project Manager, Media and Information Literacy, UNAOC When: May 3, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Where: United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 6 This event is free and open to the public, but RSVP is required (deadline April 29)