In 1997, UNESCO established the annual Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to defending and promoting press freedom. This prestigious award is the only one of its kind presented to journalists within the UN System and is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was tragically assassinated outside his newspaper El Espectador’s offices in Bogotá, Colombia, on December 17, 1986. The prize is sponsored by the Guillermo Cano Isaza Foundation (Colombia), the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation (Finland), the Namibia Media Trust, Democracy & Media Foundation Stichting Democratie & Media (The Netherlands), and the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
UNESCO is a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization that plays a vital role in promoting peace and security through collaborative efforts in education, science, culture, communication, and information. With 194 Member States, UNESCO is headquartered in Paris and has offices in 54 countries with over 2300 staff members. The organization oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites
