A New York Tribute.

(From Zimbabwe Independent - AAGM)

Byline: Iden Wetherell

AS you may have gathered, I have been in New York to collect an award given annually by a publication called World Press Review which is published by the Stanley Foundation, a not-for-profit trust.

My hosts looked after me with great diligence, arranging interviews with other writers and media groups, and organising visits to museums of my choice.

But the main business of my visit was to attend a lunch at the United Nations headquarters where UN secretary-general Kofi Annan's representative, Ambassador Dr Francis Mading Deng, in presenting WPR's "International Editor of the Year" award, paid tribute to the work of Zimbabwe's independent media.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the US and international media as well as diplomats and other specialists.

Deng, who was for many years Sudanese ambassador to the UN and is now responsible for Internally Displaced People, said freedom of expression and accountability …