By : Tariq Usmani
The initial preparations for the 100th anniversary celebrations of the International Federation of Journalists, the largest representative organization of journalists around the world, have begun.
It has been decided to hold this representative organization of journalists from May 4 to 7, 2026 in Paris, France, the birthplace of this representative organization of journalists.
This is going to be a representative and powerful meeting of the IFJ Congress and the main theme of this centenary session is“100 years of international solidarity for strong journalism and trade unionism”
Solidarity for press freedom in the world, quality journalism and fair working conditions for members of all member countries of the organization, the journalist trade union is going to start its centenary celebrations with a strong message and a strategy of struggle for the future.
The IFJ will also democratically elect its new leadership for the next three years at this powerful centenary congress. It is expected that more than 300 IFJ-affiliated journalistic organizations and associations from around the world will participate in this centenary congress to be held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, and this major global meeting will leave its delegates with a message of renewed strength, hope and unity.
The IFJ, the world’s largest organization of journalists, represents more than 600,000 (six hundred thousand) media professionals from 187 organizations, trade unions and associations of journalists in more than 140 countries.
This international organization of journalists was first established in 1926 in Paris, France as the Federation of International Journalists (FIJ). Later, in 1946, it was renamed the International Organization of Journalists (IOJ).
However, as a result of the Cold War, the organization lost many of its Western members. The current form of this world organization of journalists was reborn worldwide in 1952 in Brussels, Belgium, as the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). In Pakistan, the only truly representative organization of journalists across the country, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), is affiliated with this world organization (IFJ), whose president is Rana Muhammad Azeem and secretary general is Shakeel Ahmed.
The International Federation of Journalists, together with journalist organizations around the world, raises a strong voice to defend the rights of journalists, their fair salaries, job protection, press freedom and social justice.
It not only supports journalist organizations at the international level, but also raises its voice for the abolition of oppressive laws of governments against journalists and media workers through peaceful struggle to protect the professional rights of the media industry and journalists.
It also organizes collective actions through its wide platforms to lift government laws against the media from United Nations platforms. The International Federation of Journalists regularly organizes training workshops and seminars in member countries around the world to improve the professional skills of journalists and make them aware of modern technology.
This global organization of journalists, in addition to fighting for the rights of journalists around the world and providing them with professional training, also provides humanitarian financial assistance to journalists in need from international safety funds, while also making arrangements for the safe evacuation of journalists trapped in war-torn countries with the help of international aid agencies.
The IFJ does not grant membership to any organization with a political or religious viewpoint, but rather promotes collective action to defend fundamental human rights, press freedom, democracy, the rights of journalists and free access to information for media representatives and raises its voice for this right.
All policies of the IFJ are decided democratically in Congress meetings held every three years and these decisions are implemented by the Secretariat under the guidance of an elected Executive Committee. The IFJ has its central secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, while there are separate offices for Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle-East.
Tariq Usmani (President)
Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists
tariqusmani007@gmail.com
