Gyumri to mark Freedom of Speech Day March 25.

On March 25, Armenia's Gyumri city will mark Freedom of Speech Day for the fifth time in a row.

The festive event will start at 2:00 pm at "October Cinema" located at the city's Vardanants (central) republic. Present at the ceremony will be journalists and representatives of news outlets, public and political figures, members of diplomatic missions as well as representatives of business circles.

About two dozen journalists and media representatives were rewarded during the previous award-giving ceremonies. The tradition is expected to continue this year; awards will be handed over to media representatives, journalists and citizens who have contributed to the right to freedom of speech.

Freedom of Speech Day is traditionally marked in Gyumri on March 25 -the day when thanks to a nationwide fundraising drive, it was possible to defend Gyumri-based independent GALA TV, which was at risk of being shut down by the authorities four years ago.

In March 2008, authorities imposed a fine of about 27 million drams on GALA TV. This resulted in an unprecedented phenomenon in Armenia's history: individual people began to voluntarily donate funds to the TV station. As a result of the fundraising campaign, GALA received 26,458,500 drams and paid the remaining 441,000 drams from its own funds thereby recovering the fine and remaining on the air.