The United Nations declared 3 May to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

UNESCO marks World Press Freedom Day by conferring the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on a deserving individual, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world. This year, the Prize is awarded to the Chilean journalist Monica Gonzalez Mujica, a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country.