Lassantha Wickramatunge, the 50-year old Editor of The Sunday Leader, a leading Sri Lankan newspaper, was shot dead when returning home on 8th January. He must have had some premonition of his death and the last editorial that he had prepared and which wrote of the courage and risk of writers in conflict areas, including himself, appeared two days after his untimely death. This is the text of Wickramatunge’s last editorial:

Debating issues underlying conflict in Africa, with special reference to Angola, Kenya and Zimbabwe. A one day conference held on Monday 1st December 2008 at 24 Greencoat Place, London SW1P 1RD.

An extract from a speech by ICF President Bernard Margueritte at the European University of Rome on 28 November 2008, on the theme “The Teaching of John Paul II and the Mission of the Media”.

A personal reflection by Bob Webb, ICF Vice President, USA

Those of us who work in the media did not come from another planet to report on the dying days of the Earth's civilisation and then to return from whence we came. We are part of this society with children, grandchildren and loved ones for whom we would like to see a more secure and fairer world. By Bill Porter.