Everyone must access to information as important human right

Addressing the 18th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) in Tehran on Monday, Kiril Valchev, CEO of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and president of the News Agencies World Congress spoke about the importance of having free access to information in the modern day.

“The COVID-19 era taught us that information is not a market, but it is an important human right that should be available to everyone,” Valchev noted.

During the Covid-19 era, the most important news was related to science, Valchev said and added, “We realized at that time that science is more important than politics and truth is more important than assessment.”

Therefore, the news agencies must broadcast the truth, he stressed.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Valchev called on news agencies to create a mother site to exchange news in the field of Balkans and Europe.

He concluded his remarks by admiring Iranians for being so hospitable.

The OANA meeting in Tehran started on Monday morning in Tehran with Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili’s speech.

Around 60 senior directors, managers, and editors from 35 OANA member-states are present at the two-day general assembly of OANA and will discuss various topics, including the development and strengthening of media cooperation.

Three Iranian news agencies – Mehr News, Fars News, and Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) are members of the organization. The Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) voted in favor of IRNA’s nomination for the presidency at the 17th General Assembly meeting in Seoul, South Korea.

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