40th Anniversary of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of a singular inter-governmental programme in the UN system that is dedicated to supporting media through training, research, capacity-building, law reform and more. This is UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).

The Programme over four decades has supported more than 2,000 media development projects with grants of more than 120 million USD in 140 developing countries.

Join us this 24 November for this special event to commemorate IPDC’s 40th anniversary with:

• Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize Winner (video message)
• Georja Calvin-Smith, TV news presenter, France 24
• Peter Greste, Author, journalist and UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communication
• Mijal Iastrebner, co-founder and managing director of SembraMedia
• Zukiswa Potye, Chief Executive Officer, Media Development and Diversity Agency
• Christophe Deloire, Secretary-General, Reporters without Borders (RSF), Chair of the Forum on Information and Democracy
• Madhav Chinnappa, Director of News Ecosystem, Google
• Harlem Désir, Executive Director, Forum on Information and Democracy initiative
• Mr. Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo, President, Launch of partnership with WAN/IFRA (World Newspaper Association)

About UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication

The IPDC’s unique role has been continuously reaffirmed in the UN resolution, “Information in the service of humanity”, adopted on annual basis by the General Assembly (the latest on 13 December 2019).

Thanks to the IPDC, there are internationally agreed indicators to assess media and internet development. The Programme is also the cradle of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity – amongst many other achievements.