Lebanese Ministry of Information
In a significant step towards enhancing the safety of media personnel, Caretaker Information Minister, Ziad Makary, received ten bundles of personal protective equipment (PPE) designated for media workers from the UNESCO office in Beirut.
Additionally, five more bundles were handed over to president of the Photojournalists’ Syndicate, Ali Aloush. This initiative aims to address the safety needs of journalists and photojournalists, enabling them to provide media coverage in unstable conditions.
The PPE packages, compliant with international standards, symbolize the longstanding partnership between the Ministry of Information and UNESCO, which has consistently supported the media sector. This collaboration also includes specialized expertise dedicated to updating media laws to align with best international practices and recent technical assistance for preparing a nomination dossier for the Tele Liban archives. This dossier will be submitted to UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” program, highlighting the invaluable significance of the archives.
Minister Makary emphasized the importance of this collaboration in his address: “With a shared commitment to freedom of expression and the safety of media professionals, UNESCO has graciously responded to the Ministry’s request for equipment to ensure the protection of journalists.”
Moreover, the information minister reiterated the strong cooperation between UNESCO and the Ministry across various domains, particularly in the media sector, and called on all media outlets to intensify efforts to safeguard journalists, photojournalists, and media workers in Lebanon.
Costanza Farina, Director of the UNESCO Beirut Office, remarked: “Following the celebration of World Press Freedom Day on May 2-3 in Santiago, Chile, I am pleased to reaffirm UNESCO’s commitment to supporting freedom of expression in Lebanon through close collaboration with the Ministry of Information and all concerned parties.”
NNA
