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Home / About the award

About the award

Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental human rights. It stands for the right of one to publicly express his or her views and the respect that other people have to show for it. However, only one in six people can use it without any consequences – journalists, bloggers, politicians, human rights activists and ordinary citizens are persecuted for using it. Annual reports on press freedom present the worst indicators since the decades.

The IAPC confers the Freedom of Speech Award on persons or organisations for their exceptional contributions to the fight for or in defence of free speech, or creating conditions and supporting efforts promoting freedom of speech.

The winner is selected by all the IAPC member press clubs from over 20 countries. The winner receives a medal of freedom of speech.

It was in Poland that the fall of communism in Europe began. It was in Poland, on June 4, 1989, that the region’s first free election was held. That election initiated the process that led to the liberation of the countries of Eastern and Central Europe, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union and – as a result – the eastward expansion of the European Union. That is why the International Association of Press Clubs (IAPC) selected Poland to host the Freedom of Speech Award ceremony, emphasising Poland’s role in the struggle for free speech around the world and its enormous contribution to the democratic transformation of Europe.

Current information on the situation of freedom of speech in the world are available in the reports at the websites of Reporters Without Borders and the Freedom House.


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  • News

    • Support for media freedom and free and fair journalism...
      November 5, 2022
    • A film about Russian influence in Africa awarded with...
      October 20, 2022
    • The IAPC calls for more decisive steps to defend journalists...
      July 15, 2021
    • The Pegasus Project awarded the 2021 Daphne Caruana...
      October 15, 2021
    • IAPC Freedom of Speech Award 2021 for Yuliya Slutskaya,...
      June 23, 2021

  • Upcoming events

  • News

    • Support for media freedom and free and fair journalism...
      November 5, 2022
    • A film about Russian influence in Africa awarded with...
      October 20, 2022
    • The IAPC calls for more decisive steps to defend journalists...
      July 15, 2021
    • The Pegasus Project awarded the 2021 Daphne Caruana...
      October 15, 2021
    • IAPC Freedom of Speech Award 2021 for Yuliya Slutskaya,...
      June 23, 2021
    • Media in a polarized society
      May 27, 2021
    • International Day of Solidarity with Belarus
      February 5, 2021
    • Leaders of Press Club Belarus have been in custody...
      January 21, 2021
    • Sign a petition to free journalists in Belarus!
      December 31, 2020
    • Free members of Press Club Belarus!
      December 23, 2020





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    • Freedom of Speech Award
      • About the award
    • Contact
  • Contact information

    General Secretariat International Association of Press Clubs

    c/o Press Club Polska
    Al. Ujazdowskie 6A
    00-461 Warsaw, Poland
    secretariat@pressclubs.org
    tel. +48 22 299 7127

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