According to Ambassador Ingo Herbert, "a free press is a fundamental pillar of a democratic society. The role of the press is to inform the public and thus contribute to the transparency of the political system, hence the fourth estate." He emphasized that this day is also an opportunity to celebrate together the five years of coalition for media freedom, one day before the International Day of Press Freedom.
"The number of journalists present here tonight is evidence of the freedom and diversity of the media in the DRC, with a multitude of media outlets, radios, newspapers reporting the news of this vast country on a daily basis at national, international, and community levels. In order to fulfill this important function, these journalists must be able to work freely to access public information and have working conditions that allow for objective analysis of the information to be gathered," he declared.
The German ambassador thanked his guests and urged them to work together to address the challenges of this profession. Furthermore, he encouraged everyone, especially the journalists present, to network, discuss, and create synergies to move forward together.
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