Timoci Vula
SUVA (The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): The Fijian Media Association is holding a vigil in Suva on Saturday night to remember and honour the slain journalists and cartoonists of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, also marking the one month anniversary of the massacre that occurred on February 7.
The event, to be held at the Fiji Museum, will also double as a celebration of the achievements of Fiji's media in covering the 2014 general election and the opening of Parliament.
"The event is an opportunity to show solidarity with our colleagues around the world and rally with local journalists despite the enormous challenges we have all faced," FMA president Ricardo Morris said.
He noted that a number of embassies had expressed support for the event, with the US Embassy Suva being especially supportive of the FMA's media development initiatives.
In an earlier statement, the association condemned the attack on Charlie Hebdo as an attack on free speech and freedom everywhere, and said violent attacks on journalists would not succeed.
Meanwhile, the association is undertaking a membership drive with more than 100 paid-up members so far, with numbers expected to reach 200 in the next few weeks.
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