The UN General Assembly in 1993 proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.

This date was chosen to commemorate the Declaration of Windhoek. The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” in Windhoek, Namibia.

World Press Freedom Day is an annual reminder to the international community that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.