September 2006, 10th Conference of Highway Africa, Grahamstown, South Africa

Alain Modoux, Communication Director of the Media & Society Foundation honoured by African media professionals
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On the occasion of the 10th Conference of Highway Africa held from 10 to 13 September 2006 at Rhodes University (Grahamstown, South Africa) and attended by some 500 African media professionals from more than 40 countries, MEDIA-SOCIETY.org Communication Director and Project Manager Alain MODOUX was honoured for the decisive role he played in the nineties to initiate and lead the process which brought the Windhoek Declaration to world attention. Adopted on 3 May 1991 by the participants in the “Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” and then endorsed in November 1995 by all Member-States of UNESCO, the Windhoek Declaration defines, among others, the conditions conducive to press freedom, media independence and pluralism. It is today, in the UN system, the main text of reference relating to media.

Through his work in UNESCO, Alain MODOUX championed the Windhoek Declaration around the globe and managed, inter alia, to see to it that the UN General Assembly, in December 1993, proclaims May 3 - anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration - "World Press Freedom Day". Since then, this Day is celebrated every year world-wide. According to Alain MODOUX, "the Windhoek Declaration is a significant contribution of Africa to the universal edifice of human rights".

Alain MODOUX (Switzerland), MEDIA-SOCIETY.org Communication Director and Project Manager, is a former Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace. He chaired and is still chairing several international professional organizations specialized in communication such as IPRA, the International Public Relations Association (London), ORBICOM, the international Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication (UQAM Montreal), and Internews Europe (Paris).