October 5, 2009

(Knoxville, TN) St. Senator Tim Burchett will host a lunch at Wright’s Cafeteria on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 for a delegation of approximately 15 foreign journalists who are participating in the U.S. State Department’s Edward R. Murrow program for journalist.

The participating journalists are from Eastern European nations including many former Soviet bloc states and are considered leaders in the fields of broadcast and print journalism. The University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information’s School of Journalism and Electronic Media is coordinating their visit to East Tennessee.

“These journalists are from nations where freedom of the press and other basic rights are not taken lightly.

Free and fair elections are not assumed in many of these countries and these journalists understand first-hand how important it is for citizens to be engaged in their political process.” Burchett said. “It is important that we never take for granted the rights we have, and I just want to encourage these individuals to stay the course.”

This is the second year Burchett has hosted an event for participants in this program. Last year’s delegates came from Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Burchett is seeking the Republican nomination for county mayor in the May 4, 2010 primary. Early voting starts April 14.