Taiwan hosts International Press Institute World Congress

Taiwan plays host to International Press Institute World Congress

The International Press Institute World Congress 2011 will take place in Taipei Sept. 25 to 27, marking the first time in 12 years that Taiwan has hosted the event.

The theme for the annual gathering, now in its 60th year, is "The Asia Media Century-21st Century Developments from New Technologies to Press Freedom."

Duncan Wang, chairman of the IPI ROC (Taiwan) National Chapter, said Taiwan has made huge progress in the last few years in terms of political liberalization, press freedom as well as technological readiness, making the country a fit host for the event.

According to IPI Acting Director Alison Bethel McKenzie, "Taiwan's geopolitical and geostrategic importance, as well as its thriving cultural scene and growing global technology presence, makes Taipei the ideal place to engage in relevant topics."

Nearly 50 media executives, leading journalists and editors from around the world are expected to take part in 12 sessions, according to Taiwan's Host Committee.

President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih will give opening and closing remarks, respectively, during the event, the organizer said.

Mark Thompson, director-general of the BBC, will give a keynote speech titled, "Reporting the World: Why Quality Journalism Still Matters in a Digital Age."

A special session on the opening day will have Thompson and Amelia Hill, special investigations correspondent of the Guardian, leading the panel discussion on the recent News of the World scandal.

Topics for discussions include ties between mainland China and Taiwan, news coverage of North Korea, and the role of social media networks during the recent "Jasmine revolutions" in the Arab world.

The three-day conference will include an additional Financial Workshop Sept. 24.

ENDS

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