The head of the United Nations agency tasked with upholding press freedom today condemned the killing of a television journalist in Pakistan, who was shot while covering attacks on the religious Ahmadi community.

Ejazul Haq was killed on 28 May in the city of Lahore while reporting through his mobile telephone at the scene of one of the incidents, with television reporters hearing both the shots that killed him and his last words.

Dozens of members of the Ahmadiyyah community were also killed in the twin attacks during Friday prayers on two mosques when gunmen armed with grenades attacked two mosques. (more…)

Paris, France – The United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has said that although social science from Western countries continues to be of great global influence, the field is expanding rapidly in Asia and Latin America, particularly in China and Brazil.

Quoting from its findings in a 2010 World Social Science Report – “Knowledge divides”, UNESCO said in sub-Saharan Africa, social scientists from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya produced 75% of academic publications.

In South Asia, it said in a press statement from its headquarters in Paris, the French capital, that barring some centres of excellence in India, social sciences as a whole had low priority.

These findings will be launched as UNESCO’s 2010 World Social Science Report (Knowledge divides) on 25 June in Paris. (more…)

A bid for Brighton and Hove to join Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal and the pyramids of Egypt as a world heritage site is unlikely to be backed by the council.

In April, The Argus revealed conservationists were looking at ways to bring a large section of the city –from Arundel Road in the east to Hove Lawns – under the protection of Unesco.

The idea has been backed by former UK ambassador to Unesco Tim Craddock.

But following questions from opposition councillors, the Conservative administration appears unwilling to back the proposals and said Unesco status was more complex than first thought. (more…)

United Nations, May 22 (ANI): The head of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has condemned the recent killings of journalists in Pakistan and Somalia, while underscoring the necessity of press freedom.

“No society can allow violence to muzzle journalists while aspiring to uphold human rights and liberties, democracy and rule of law,” The Nation quoted UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in a statement.

Journalists, she stressed, are committed to report the truth as they see it.
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Thirty press freedom groups have urged the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to reject a three million dollar donation from Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

The money is intended for a prize awarded by UNESCO and financed by Obiang, to be awarded in June, but in a letter to UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, the journalists’ unions and watchdog groups described Obiang as “one of Africa’s worst violators of press freedom.”

“We, the undersigned freedom of expression organisations, join with the Committee to Protect Journalists to express our grave concern regarding the three million donation by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang for the administration of an international prize in life sciences,” said the letter, made available to AFP on Friday and dated Thursday. (more…)

Bids are being prepared for two of the Isle of Man’s most important historical sites to receive global recognition.

Tynwald Hill and the Laxey Valley are being put forward by Manx National Heritage (MNH) for consideration for Unesco’s World Heritage list.

People are being urged to write to MNH outlining why they think the sites are important to Manx culture for inclusion in the June application.

The bids will be assessed by UK experts before submission in 2011.

The first bid will focus on Tynwald Hill and its importance as the oldest continuous parliamentary site in the world, dating back to the 9th Century.
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The Pyramids, Great Wall of China, Stonehenge and…Colchester? The Essex town is preparing an audacious bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and it’s not as unlikely as it sounds. Destination Colchester, a group of local business owners and heritage enthusiasts, is preparing a bid to be entered onto a tentative list of the UK’s heritage sites. If the bid, due next Friday, is successful, Colchester could find itself inscribed alongside famous British landmarks like Bath Spa, Hadrian’s Wall and the Tower of London.

Colchester has already been making headlines this year with a bid to preserve Britain’s only known chariot racetrack, or circus. But while the campaign, which enlisted the help of famous faces such as historian Dan Cruickshank, reached its £200,000 target earlier this year, Destination Colchester member Bill Hayton thinks the city has undersold itself for too long. (more…)