Journalists are critical to sustainable development, social cohesion and inclusion as their profession serves an invaluable social role in disseminating information, while also acting as a bulwark against shrinking civic spaces.
The media also plays a vital role in enabling civil society to advance the SDGs and the leave no one behind agenda. They do this through balanced reporting on local challenges, highlighting issues of social importance and promoting accountability and good governance.
That is why public trust in the media is very important and journalists can foster faith in their work and profession through factual, reliable and impartial reporting.
In today’s polarized societies worldwide we need to reduce divisions as well as “misinformation” and work together towards the common good for the benefits of everyone.
This approach should entail highlighting not just what ails our societies but also our progress in transforming them in positive directions.
Many of these positive developments include the United Nations’ partnerships through its agencies with the media in Thailand.
Read more from the Resident Coordinator's keynote remarks for the 68th Anniversary Lunch Talk of the Thai Journalists Association.