World Press Freedom Day was observed on May 3 to promote freedom of expression and independent journalism. Proclaimed in 1993 on UNESCO's recommendation, it marks the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration (1991) supporting free, independent and pluralistic media. The 2026 theme is 'Shaping a Future of Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security'. UNESCO's World Trends Report 2022-2025 says press freedom has seen its steepest decline since 2012, with self-censorship up by over 60%. The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize honours defenders of press freedom.