Patricia McPhillips, UNESCO’s Director in Afghanistan, stated during a United Nations and media meeting held to mark United Nations Day in Afghanistan that UNESCO supports the right to access information and the improvement of education in the country.
In this meeting in Kabul, McPhillips highlighted the important role that journalists and media play in informing the public.
The head of UNESCO in Afghanistan said: “In Afghanistan, UNESCO has been supporting the people of Afghanistan in improving access to information, protecting the country’s heritage and improving education and literacy. Finally, I wish you a truthful discussion and pledge to continue supporting you and to highlight a point … celebrating UN day with journalists and representatives of the media in Afghanistan could not be more fitting as the UN and the media share the fundamental principles and values of impartiality, humanity and independence.”
Officials from several media-supporting organizations also called on global institutions to assist Afghanistan’s media and journalists, keeping Afghanistan’s national interests in mind. They highlighted the importance of establishing an Access to Information Commission and enacting media-related laws to bring order to the country’s media activities.
Hafizullah Barakzai, head of the the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), said during the meeting: “The director of UNESCO is here, as are our colleagues, and there must be full attention and focus on investments, support, and workshops because many intellectuals from the journalism community have left the country. We need attention to how we can continue to serve in the field of information dissemination.”
The United Nations was founded by 51 countries in 1945, with the primary goal of maintaining international peace and security. Afghanistan became a member of the United Nations in 1946.