In commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, acting US Consul General Ted Gehr dedicated the new resource centre at the Lahore Press Club on Thursday. Gehr cut a ribbon and placed a dedication plaque, officially inaugurating the resource centre. The centre was funded by a $10,000 (Rs 906,000) grant from the US Consulate General Lahore’s Public Affairs Section. The new resource centre will ensure that the Lahore Press Club’s over 1,200 members will be better able to perform their duty to inform the public-an essential role played by free and independent media in creating sustainable democracies and open, healthy societies.
“Today, on World Press Freedom Day and with the dedication of this resource centre, we pay special tribute to those courageous journalists, bloggers, and citizens who have sacrificed their lives, health, or freedom so that others could know the truth,” Gehr said during the ribbon cutting ceremony. The $10,000 grant from the American Consulate was used to purchase new computers, desks and multi-media equipment. It also included an upgrade to the Lahore Press Club reference library with new books and bookcases.
May 3rd was proclaimed the World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly in 1993 to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to the journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Also present at the dedication ceremony were Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari and US Consulate General Lahore staff, including Public Affairs Officer Brinille Ellis and Information Officer Leslie Goodman.
US Consulate donates resource centre to Lahore Press Club
