The 10th anniversary of the launching of the Sarajevo Commitment, a statement of best practice for media professionals, was celebrated in a short ceremony in Caux, Switzerland, on 14 August. This statement of intent, signed by participants attending ICF’s Sarajevo World Forum in September 2000, aimed to be a beacon of encouragement to countries freed from communist tyranny and a challenge to the media world-wide. Now in 17 languages, it is still being signed online by media people from around the world.

Journalism professor calls for progressive journalists to tackle racism.

Richard Lance Keeble, Professor of Journalism at the University of Lincoln, UK, highlighted the role of the media in promoting multiculturalism at the opening session of the conference “Learning to live in a multi-cultural world”, organised by Initiatives of Change, Caux, Switzerland, 2 July 2010. Read the full text of his talk here.

We are delighted to announce the imminent publication of Media Values. 

Shortly before his death in 2009 Bill Porter suggested the publication of a book in which colleagues could highlight in many different ways the fundamental principles of the ICF. Media Values is that book, drawing together 29 chapters inspired by Bill Porter - a timely celebration of his life and his inspirational campaign.

Commenting on the book, Sir David Bell, recently retired chairman of theFinancial Times writes: “This is an impressive book inspired by a remarkable man who was devoted to the simple idea that the media can have high standards and prepared to campaign tirelessly to make this idea come alive. As this book shows, his impact was considerable and the torch which he lit is burning stronger than ever.”

Media Values is edited by Professor Richard Keeble, University of Lincoln, and published by Troubador Publishing in their Communication Ethics series.  The book will be available from November 2010. Click here for more details.

For Sri Lankan journalist Sonali Samarasinghe, it was a night to remember when she accepted on 21 April on behalf of her late husband, Lasantha Wickramatunga, the 2009 Freedom of the Press award from the National Press Club in Washington. He was murdered on 8 January 2009 after predicting he would be in a now-famous editorial to run, as it was, after his death. He had been relentless in exposing wrongdoing in the government as editor-in-chief of the Sunday Leader in Colombo.

The ICF will be actively represented in three of this year’s Caux conferences, to be held at the Initiatives of Change centre in the Alpine village of Caux, Switzerland in July and August.