Commemoration of International Journalists' Day 2025: What's the Significance Behind This Commemoration?
On the 8th of September, we celebrate the International Day of the Journalist, a day that highlights the importance of independent journalism and shows solidarity with journalists who work under difficult and dangerous conditions. This day was established at the First National Congress of Journalists held in Córdoba, Argentina in 1938.
The day is particularly significant as it honours Czech writer and journalist Julius Fucik, who was executed by the Nazis on September 8, 1943. Fucik's article, "at the foot of the gallows," gained international fame and is available in over eighty languages. The article was smuggled out of prison, sheet by sheet, and published two years after his death. Fucik was posthumously awarded the International Peace Prize in 1950.
Sadly, the need for such a day is still relevant today. Reporters Without Borders has reported that at least thirteen journalists were killed in Latin America between January and July 2025. Among these, eight were in Mexico, making it the most dangerous region for reporters.
The journalists killed in Mexico were covering issues of public interest, such as corruption, crime, or the environment. Most of them worked for local or community media, which are increasingly at risk, according to Reporters Without Borders. The organisation does not specify the methods used to kill the journalists or the nationalities of those killed.
In Mexico, the national recognition of the journalism profession is on January 4th, a day that is also commemorated in memory of Jalisco journalist Manuel Caballero, who is considered one of the first to report in Mexico.
While the International Day of the Journalist serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by journalists, it also calls attention to the ongoing threats they face. Reporters Without Borders does not specify the current status of investigations into the killings of the journalists in Latin America.
In America, each country usually adapts the date to specific local events. However, the core message remains the same: the importance of a free and independent press, and the need to protect journalists who risk their lives to bring us the truth.
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