As this year marks the 60th Anniversary of the International Press Institute - the world's oldest global organisation dedicated solely to press freedom - IPI has decided to honour a further eight journalists who have shown great courage in defending this universal right, bringing the number of IPI World Press Freedom Heroes to 60. These eight journalists - Lasantha Wickrematunge, May Chidiac, Laurence Gandar, Nedim Sener, Lydia Cacho, Pap Saine, Akbar Ganji and Yoani Sanchez - will join the ranks of the 50 journalists we honoured in 2000 as part of our 50th Anniversary, and two more journalists - Anna Politkovskaya and Hrant Dink - who were honoured in 2006 and 2007, respectively. 60 Heroes for 60 years of defending press freedom. At this year's IPI World Congress, we will be hosting an awards ceremony and dinner in honour of all 60 IPI World Press Freedom Heroes, with 24 of the 30 living Heroes in attendance. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic will be giving a keynote speech, with Sir Harold Evans, former editor of the Sunday Times (London), speaking on behalf of all the Heroes. Willibald Cernko, CEO, UniCredit Bank Austria - sponsor of the commemorative book "Words of Freedom: A Tribute to 60 IPI World Press Freedom Heroes" - will also speak at the event.

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