Rights are key elements in development

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By María Teresa Aveggio, Programme Manager, WACC

“It is most appropriate that the 2009 IAMCR Conference in Mexico takes human rights as its focus.” And the IAMRC president Annabelle Sreberny went on to say that “Human rights have become a key theme in political, social and economic development around the world, often recognized as much in their breach as in their application.”

“Communication and Human Rights” was the core theme for this year’s International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Annual Conference which was held in Mexico City. Four plenary sessions and more than 139 working groups organized according to IAMCR’s 14 sectors and special sessions kept academics, researchers and students of communication busy between 20 and 24 July in the Mexican capital.

Two of WACC’s Honorary Life Members, Margaret Gallagher and Cees J. Hamelink, were among the key note speakers. Both spoke to the theme “Research, Media and Human Rights.” Ms Gallagher explored the issue of communication rights from a gender perspective.

The Conference was hosted by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and it was fitting that the venue for the Annual Conference was the Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco in Mexico City. Inaugurated in 2007, the Centre occupies the former Foreign Relations Secretariat building next to the Plaza de las Tres Culturas (Three Cultures Square), site of the October 1968 massacre perpetrated by police and armed forces against students who were demanding their human rights.

Of particular interest to WACC were the sessions on Participatory Communication led by a former WACC staff member, Dr Pradip Thomas. Well attended throughout, the sessions looked at a wide range of participatory communication approaches to issues such as social change, communication rights, participatory development, migration, cultural change, citizenship and social movements.

For further information: http://www.iamcr.org/

Presentation by María Teresa Aveggio

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WACC promotes communication as a basic human right, essential to people's dignity and community.

The World Association for Christian Communication is a UK Registered Charity (number 296073) and a Company registered in England and Wales (number 2082273) with its Registered Office at 71 Lambeth Walk, London SE11 6DX. It is an incorporated Charitable Organisation in Canada (number 83970 9524 RR0001) with its head office at 308 Main Street, Toronto ON, M4C 4X7.