As the only UN agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom, UNESCO has placed mutual understanding, and dialogue through media at the core of its mission. Indeed, UNESCO's Constitution, adopted in November 1945, states that the Organization will "collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of all peoples, through all means of mass communication" and "promote the free flow of ideas by word and image". At this year's conference and celebrations, UNESCO invites participants to explore the enormous potential of media to serve as a platform for dialogue and a vehicle for understanding.