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Director-General urges investigation into murder of journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Honduras

October 9, 2020

UNESCO Director-General condemns the killing of journalists German Vallecillo Jr. and Jorge Posas in Honduras

The DirectorGeneral of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay condemned the murders of television journalists German Vallecillo Jr and Jorge Posas on the 1st of July in the northern Honduran city of La Ceiba I condemn the murder of German Vallecillo and Jorge Posas A press that is free and safe to operate has a paramount role in democratic societies and consequently must be protected and promoted I trust that the local authorities will investigate this crime to determine the motives of the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice The two colleagues were shot and killed in their car The attack was caught on a surveillance camera and the police questioned several people German Vallecillo Jr a host for the local privately owned TV station 45TV who also ran the radio station Stereo92 had announced his intention to run in the forthcoming parliamentary elections He was murdered on his 41st birthday Jorge Posas was a camera operator and technician UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awarenessraising capacity building and a range of actions notably in the framework of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity See also UNESCO observatory of killed journalists Media contact Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi

Twenty mayors of towns located in Biosphere Reserves gather in Honduras

Twenty mayors as well as indigenous territorial councils and national indigenous organizations central government institutions and strategic partners from Honduras four biosphere reserves took part in the First Meeting of Mayors of Biosphere Reserves held in Tela on February 28 2020 under the motto Biosphere Reserves as Territorial Platforms to Promote Governance and Sustainable Development The dialogue will enable local authorities to coordinate actions in order to implement effective models of sustainable development This initiative was promoted by the Management Committee of the Cacique Lempira Señor de las Montañas Biosphere Reserve in coordination with the National Man and Biosphere Committee MaB the National Institute of Forest Conservation and Development Protected Areas and Wildlife ICF the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment MI AMBIENTE and the Association of Municipalities of Honduras AMHON with the technical and financial support of the PROCAMBIOGIZ Project and IUCN At the end of the meeting the authorities launched a Declaration committing to various actions available in Spanish