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At the invitation of H.E. Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO, a Joint Statement she co-signed together with H.E. Amb. Philemon Yang, President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), H.E. Amb. Bob Rae, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and H.E. Amb. Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council (HRC), was launched during the signature event of the WPFD 2025, in Brussels, Belgium, on 7 May 2025.

Recalling that the right of freedom of opinion and expression are enshrined in the founding principles of the UN and UNESCO and recognized as fundamental human rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Joint Statement emphasizes their continued relevance in today’s information ecosystem, where access to reliable information must be promoted and protected as a public good.

The four Presidents urge Member States to take necessary measures to bridge digital divides, promote digital and media literacy, raise public awareness on the impact of new and emerging technologies on press freedom and the media, and to build capacity for understanding the human rights implications of AI.

They also call on governments to address the killings, violence and harassment against journalists and media workers and to strengthen policies that promote a free, independent, and pluralistic media.

Stressing that new and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, can significantly advance sustainable development, the Statement highlights that when misused, such technologies risk undermining human rights by spreading disinformation, enabling surveillance, restricting media diversity and press freedom.

Although each of the four UN bodies has a distinct mandate for ensuring a future where a free, independent, and pluralistic media is protected, the Presidents’ Joint Statement conveys a strong message of the UN speaking with one voice in upholding all human rights including the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

This year’s Statement is the fourth co-signed by the respective four Presidents.  

The first Statement was issued in 2022, under the theme of “Journalism Under Digital Siege”, raising awareness of the growing threats that emerging technologies, including far-reaching surveillance, pose to the safety of journalists and media workers, particularly women. Artificial Intelligence has since amplified many of these challenges with a new speed and degree.

In 2023, the Statement stressed the fact that freedom of expression is critical in safeguarding all other human rights and shaping other human rights like the rights to health, education, freedom of assembly, or participation in public life.

The 2024 Statement touched on the role of journalism in protecting our planet from the climate crisis and investigating the environment, but also the disinformation surrounding climate change and the risks journalists face when reporting on these topics.

The three previous Statements are inherently connected to the 2025 theme of Artificial Intelligence.

AI is not only challenging the right to seek, impart and receive information, but it is also altering the journalistic profession and the safeguards required to protect journalists and media workers.