Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. The U.S. Mission to UNESCO is particularly pleased to note that this year's UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho Ribeiro. Members of the Prize's independent jury were impressed by her courage as she continues to expose political corruption, organized crime and domestic violence in the face of death threats, an attempt on her life and legal battles. The Prize, which honors the memory of the murdered Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano, is awarded every year by the UNESCO Director-General and since 2007 is supported by the U.S.-based Ottaway Foundation.
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