Journalists have stake in building safer world: Prez

A three-day conference of the World Newspaper Congress and the World Editors Forum to discuss both the editorial and business challenges of the print media opened here today with President Pratibha Patil asserting that journalists have a stake in building a better and safer world against the backdrop of rising global terror.

"Issues like terrorism, climate change, rapid communications systems and financial integration are some of the indicators of the global village concept.

"Nabbing of consignments of weapons and drugs in one part of the globe can reveal a conspiracy of a much larger dimension.

For the media, it implies that even though it is covering local events, it must necessarily look at other linkages.

Needless to say, journalists have a stake in building a better and safer world," Patil said inaugurating the event.

Eminent Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi, until recently editor-in-chief of Friday Times and Daily Times, was presented the "Golden Pen of Freedom" award by the World Editors' Forum (WEF) for his fearless writings against extremist forces and the government.