As
part of events marking the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day in The
Gambia, the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG) will be playing
a friendly football match with the Sports Journalists Association of The Gambia
(SJAG).
“The match is aimed at promoting the cordial relationship that exists between the two bodies of journalists in the country,” said Sulayman Ceesay, YJAG Secretary General. “It will also promote the understanding and friendship between media practitioners in the country.”
The match will be played at the Serekunda East Mini Stadium on Tuesday 19 May 2015 at 4:00pm prompt.
“This is the second year that YJAG is marking the Day in this fashion. Last year, YJAG engaged the The Gambia Police Force in a friendly match to foster better understanding between the police and the journalists,” Ceesay added.
WPFD 2015 was held on May 3 under the theme: ‘Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality and Safety in the digital Age’.
On 20 December 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day to reflect on the principles of press freedom, evaluation of press freedom, and renewal of commitment to freedom and paying respect to journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.
YJAG wants to use this opportunity to call on the government to create an enabling environment for journalists to be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country and its democratic process.
Commenting on the development, YJAG president Nfamara Jawneh said this has now become a tradition for YJAG to mark WPFD in this style to bring to the attention of the Gambia government and media houses the plight of young journalists and to promote understanding among media practitioners.
Meanwhile, YJAG is calling on all media practitioners and friends of the media to come out in their numbers to grace the occasion.
