National Press Club President Mark Hamrick Available for World Press Freedom Day Interviews

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May 03, 2011, 01:03 ET

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reporters and editors working on stories related to World Press Freedom Day may arrange an interview with Mark Hamrick, President of the National Press Club. Today, May 3 marks the first time in its 18 year history that World Press Freedom Day has been held in the United States. The venue for the events is the National Press Club, the World's Leading Professional Organization for Journalists.

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More than 600 delegates from all over the world are in Washington for this multi-day conference. As one of the highlights of the conference UNESCO will award the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. This year's prize winner is Ahmad Zeidabadi, who is currently serving a six year jail sentence following Iran's disputed 2009 presidential election. He is a former editor-in-chief of the Azad newspaper. Hamrick will host the Cano Prize event in the Ballroom of the National Press Club.

The conference will also focus on new technology and on threats to journalists. So far this year 25 journalists have been killed according to the International News Safety Institute.

SOURCE National Press Club