WORLD MEDIA CONGRESS
The Philippines has been chosen to host the World Media Congress (WMC) 2016 in view of the 30th Anniversary of the People Power Revolution in 1986, and to commemorate the award of its first Gold Medal Award to VERITAS. The WMC is an international event for Media and Journalist professionals which are held every three years in different parts of the world. The WMC was first he
ld in 1930 in Belgium and the last event was in 2013 in Panama. WMC is organized by the International Christian Organization for Media (ICOM) which is based in Geneva, Switzerland. ICOM is a world forum of professionals in the secular and religious journalism. The organization brings together journalists, publishers, professors of communication and journalism and other media experts from all parts of the world. It is open to all who care for ethics and values, accuracy and objectivity, and respect for peoples, cultures, and religions. These are some of the goals and objectives of ICOM: To promote right to information, freedom of opinion and ethics of journalism; support ongoing formation for journalists; organize events to stimulate collegiality, solidarity, conviviality and dialogue among media and journalism professionals; realise in-depth analysis and reflection on timely themes; promote communication as a means of education; foster exchange of information, experience, and media development, and encourage networking and friendship in view of healthy and necessary exercise of one’s profession. Some of the past themes of WMC are the following: Creativity, Responsibility, New Press technology (Germany, 1989): Press and Solidarity (Brazil 1992), Media for Justice and Peace amidst Inequalities and Challenges and Responsibility Amidst Globalization and Digitalization (Panama 2013). The WMC Philippine theme wishes to focus on media as a means to empower people towards the common good in the spirit of the People Power Revolution of 1986: Media, Person and the Common Good. During the world congresses outstanding media professionals, as well as publications and institutions throughout the world are honoured through various journalism awards. Several of these international awards are organized with partners specialized in the field. The first Gold Medal was awarded to VERITAS, Philippines at the World Congress held in New Delhi, India in October 1986 for its remarkable role in the people’s revolution in the Philippines. Editor in Chief, Mr. Felix Bautista and his wife, together with Cardinal Jaime Sin came to receive this prestigious Award. Other Filipino recipients of the ICOM awards were Norma Jean Buencamino, of UCAnews (1989), Fr. Jose Rebelo of World Mission Magazine (2010) and (2013), and Mr. Jose Aranas of the Focolare’s New City Magazine (2010) and (2013). The WMC includes among its awards the prestigious Titus Brandsma Award for Freedom of the Press, which has been awarded to Conrado De Quiros (Philippine Daily Inquirer), Kara David (GMA News) and many other well-known Filipino journalists. Past WMC themes
1930 Brussels, Belgium - Press and Religion: Partners for Peace
1936 Rome, Italy - Religious Press: Impacts on Societies
1950 Rome, Italy - Public Opinion as Prerogative of Societies and Nations
1954 Paris, France - Religious Press: Its Mission, Its Future
1957 Vienna, Austria - Role of Religious Press in the World
1960 Santander, Spain - Religious Press: a Link between Peoples
1963 Rome, Italy - Transmission of Religious Message Through the Press
1965 New York, USA - Truth in the Search for Freedom
1968 Berlin, Germany - A Changing Press in a Changing World
1971 Luxembourg - Public Opinion Within Religion
1974 Buenos Aires, Argentina - Ethics of Journalism
1977 Vienna, Austria - A Press for the People
1980 Rome, Italy - A Press for a Communicating Society
1983 Dublin, Ireland - The Word is for Everyone
1986 New Delhi, India - Communication, Culture, Religion
1989 Ruhpolding, Germany - Creativity, Responsibility, New Press Technology
1992 Campos do Jordao, Brazil - Press and Solidarity
1995 Graz, Austria - Ethics of Peace in a World of Violence
1998 Paris, France - The Written Word: The Media of the Future
2001 Fribourg, Switzerland - Media and the Challenge of Globalization
2004 Bangkok, Thailand - Media Challenges Amidst Cultural and Religious Pluralism
2007 Sherbrooke, Canada - Media and Religion: Risk or Opportunity?
2010 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - Media for Justice and Peace Amidst Inequalities
2013 Panama City, Panama - Challenges and Responsibilities Amidst Globalization and Digitalization
2016 Tagaytay, Philippines- Synergy in Media
The World Media Congress (WMC) is a world forum of professionals in the secular and religious journalism. (www.icomworld.info). It has 8,000 members worldwide.
