By Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt
One of the benchmarks of a democratic society is the existence of a vibrant, free, and independent media. In every democratic nation, citizens must be able to debate current issues freely, vigorously, and peacefully. That is the true fabric of a democracy, and it cannot exist without the press freedom so essential to sustain it. That is why the United States of America has made the promotion of freedom of the press a top foreign policy priority, which President Obama's administration has further underscored.
One of the benchmarks of a democratic society is the existence of a vibrant, free, and independent media. In every democratic nation, citizens must be able to debate current issues freely, vigorously, and peacefully. That is the true fabric of a democracy, and it cannot exist without the press freedom so essential to sustain it. That is why the United States of America has made the promotion of freedom of the press a top foreign policy priority, which President Obama's administration has further underscored.
For democracy to flourish, the media must practice unimpeded its role of informing citizens based on fact-based reporting so that they in turn can form their own opinions and assessments. The opposite of that is tyranny, which distinguishes nations that do not trust their citizens to express their own judgments either at the ballot box or the privacy of their own homes.
Over sixty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed the right of every person “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” that right remains in peril in far too many countries. We must reflect on the fact that journalism remains a dangerous profession in some nations today, be it from political censorship or threats from criminal gangs and terrorists. We pay special tribute to those journalists who have sacrificed their lives, freedom or personal well-being in pursuit of truth and justice. We also honor the role of a free press throughout the world in creating sustainable democracies and prosperous societies. This further underscores the fact that freedom of the press is necessary to promote economic development through good governance, transparency, and a strong civic sector.
Journalism is one of the noblest professions, and one practiced admirably by every day heroes - Tanzanian journalists, bloggers, and citizen journalists - who richly contribute to public debate. As they go about their daily duties, they can count on the unequivocal and strong support of the United States. Among many partnership programs with the media, we are especially proud of our ongoing outreach with journalism university students through film screening and information programs that encourage the next generation of journalists to embrace with pride their future profession and contributions towards building a brighter future of prosperity for Tanzania and all its citizens.
On this World Press Freedom Day, the United States of America salutes Tanzanian journalists for their contributions to civic dialogue and dedication to their profession, and we reaffirm our commitment to support their goals and aspirations towards strengthening Tanzania's democracy through their fair, accurate and timely reporting.