See this page for a report on the day.

Join your fellow professionals across Europe and ‘Stand up for Journalism’ at the Brussels press centre on 5th November 2007. The ‘Standup’ campaign is a protest against the dramatic crisis facing journalists suffering from excessive commercialisation, political pressure, falling standards and poor working conditions across Europe. The events, to take place in several European countries, will also show the crucial role played by European journalists’ unions in fighting for quality journalism.

The ‘Standup’ campaign is growing fast – this Residence Rendezvous event will focus on the future for quality journalism, and how we can each help to ensure that our profession has the support and freedom necessary for the proper functioning of the fourth estate.

Date/time – Monday, 5th November 2007, 10.30 – 12.00
Venue – International Press Centre (Maelbeek Room), Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi 155, Brussels.
Booking – no need to book. Just come along, and bring your colleagues with you.

Speakers

• Keynote speaker: Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human rights, Council of Europe - The Challenge for Press Freedom and Journalism in Europe.
• Lorenzo Consoli, API President - Brussels journalists fight against manipulation and politically oriented information
• Leigh Philips, NUJ Brussels - Challenges for journalists in Brussels: transparency and lobbying the EU
• Moderator: Aidan White, EFJ General Secretary.

What is happening across Europe?

Journalists in Belgium, France, Germany, the UK and many other countries are planning a series of major national and local events to mark the day.

The events taking place include:

• A one-minute ‘stand up and stand still’ at 12.00 on 5th November 2007.
• Large-scale national protests and lobbying actions.
• Industrial action such as workplace union meetings on the day.
• Public meetings, petitions and letters to politicians and public supporters.
• Social events with musicians and other artists.
• Mass grievances at work where everyone puts in official complaints about their wages, working hours and conditions.
• Short work breaks in commemoration of assassinated journalists.
• ‘Carnival’ for press freedom and quality journalism.

For the latest and most up-to-date information, check the following links:

http://www.ifj-europe.org/default.asp?Issue=StandUpForJournalism&Language=EN (English)
http://www.ifj-europe.org/default.asp?Issue=StandUpForJournalism&Language=FR (Français)
http://www.standupforjournalism.org.uk/events.html (NUJ events)

Background

The ’Stand up for Journalism’ action is a protest against the dramatic crisis facing journalists across Europe, as the profession suffers from excessive commercialisation, political pressure, falling standards and poor working conditions. Areas of concern that arise repeatedly include the need for decent salaries and employment rights, the support and facilities to underpin quality journalism, a lack of independent and ethical journalism, and international solidarity actions against killers of journalists.

Member unions in many European countries have been very active in promoting journalists’ rights, collective agreements and quality journalism. With the ‘Standup’ day launched initially by the British and Irish National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the EFJ as a European Federation is now standing up in solidarity to organise a range of actions under this one common slogan.