KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — ‘Etika Teras Kewartawanan Mapan’ has been chosen as the theme of this year’s National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) celebrations in Kuching, Sarawak, from May 25 to May 27.
The theme was announced at the Hawana 2024 Strategic Partners meet-and-greet event graced by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil at the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) headquarters in Wisma Bernama today.
Also in attendance were Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching, Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Strategic Communication and Creative Industry) Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin, Bernama chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, and Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) director Samuel Simon.
During the event, Fahmi also launched the Hawana 2024 logo, which features the silhouette of the Rhinoceros Hornbill, a Sarawak icon categorised as the largest species of hornbill in the world.
The Hawana 2024 logo has the four colours found on the Malaysian flag, namely red, blue, and yellow, symbolising cultural and racial diversity, and depicting the three regions, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, that form Malaysia.
The logo also includes an illustration of a pen to depict the world of journalism, where journalists write and report news without borders for the benefit of society.
Hawana 2024 in Kuching will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on May 27.
May 29 was chosen as National Journalists’ Day in commemoration of the first publication of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on that date in 1939.
The first Hawana was held on April 11, 2018, at the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, and was themed ‘Championing the People, Building the Nation’ and successfully gathered 1,000 media practitioners from across the country.
Hawana was not held from 2019 to 2021 due to Covid-19.
In 2022, Hawana returned with the theme of ‘Suara Jelata, Aspirasi Negara’ (People’s Voice, National Aspiration), organised by the Communication and Multimedia Ministry (now the Communication Ministry), in collaboration with the Melaka state government and Bernama.
Last year, Bernama once again hosted Hawana in Ipoh, Perak, with the theme of ‘Media Bebas, Tunjang Demokrasi’ (Free and Secure Media, a Pillar for Democracy).
— Bernama
