Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF) is sponsoring a conference on media freedom, which will be held under the title ‘Freedom of Press and Expression between Reality and Expectations’ on May 3 at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel. The conference will be held under the auspices of  Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani, chairman of Qatar Media Corporation (QMC), and in co-operation with Dar Al Arab and Kahramaa to mark World Press Freedom Day. The Centre will also host two workshops today and tomorrow on ‘Media ethics’ and ‘Creating awareness and disinformation’ on the sidelines. “Through sponsoring this conference, which brings together local and international experts in media and human rights, the Centre seeks to enrich the debate on developments in the Gulf as well as the discussion about the status of media freedom and expression in the Middle East,” DCMF has said in a statement. The Centre also seeks to highlight the issue of freedom of information and expression as one of the most important issues facing journalists worldwide, especially in the Middle East. Meanwhile, DCMF is also participating in Unesco’s 25th celebration of the World Press Freedom Day in Accra, Ghana, tomorrow and on May 3.  This year’s global theme is ‘Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law’, and will cover issues of media and the transparency of the political process, the independence and media literacy of the judicial system, and the accountability of state institutions towards the public. The day will also examine contemporary challenges of ensuring press freedom online.
DCMF is sponsoring the Photo Exhibition of World Press Photo this year, held on the sidelines of the celebrations in Ghana and aims to highlight media freedom issues, promote the role played by journalists and call for the protection of media workers.