A joint delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Jordan-based Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) met with the king of Jordan last week following the close of IPI’s annual World Congress in Amman, Jordan.
In the meeting Thursday with King Abdullah II, IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie, IPI Executive Board Vice Chair John Yearwood, IPI Executive Board Member Daoud Kuttab and CDFJ Executive President Nidal Mansour addressed concerns related to media in Jordan that were raised during the Congress.
The delegation met with the king at the royal court after he was unable to address the Congress as initially scheduled. Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, instead, spoke to attendees during the opening session of the Congress.
The Media & Communications Directorate of the king’s court issued a press release regarding Thursday’s meeting, the full text of which appears below.
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Royal Hashemite Court
Media & Communications Directorate
Thursday, 23 May 2013
King meets IPI Executive Director
Amman – His Majesty King Abdullah II on Thursday met with International Press Institute (IPI) Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie, following the recent conclusion of IPI’s annual World Congress in Amman.
During the meeting, His Majesty expressed appreciation for the globally renowned institute’s selection of Jordan as a venue to hold its annual World Congress, reiterating that responsible and professional media is a partner in making the future, and a monitoring tool to realise comprehensive development and strengthen the reform path.
His Majesty also pointed to the potential areas of cooperation between the IPI and local media establishments with the aim to develop and advance media performance on the basis of professionalism and objectivity, and to ensure a balance between press freedom and responsibility.
Fore her part, McKenzie briefed His Majesty on the key themes and issues tackled by the conference as well as its most important resolutions that serve the message of journalism and press freedoms.
McKenzie also expressed her appreciation for Jordan’s efforts to facilitate the event and ensure its success.
The meeting was attended by Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court Fayez Tarawneh, Director of His Majesty’s Office Imad Fakhoury, IPI Vice-Chair John Yearwood, IPI Executive Board Arab member, Daoud Kuttab, and Executive President of the Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ), the co-organiser of the conference, Nidal Mansour.
