Journalists in Mexico are being murdered, kidnapped, threatened and disappeared, yet their journalism is more important than ever before.

On Oct.19,’a group of journalists, writers and poets gathered at Cooper Union’s Great Hall in New York to call attention to the silencing of Mexican journalists.

Among the participants were Paul Auster, Calvin Baker, Don DeLillo, Laura Esquivel, Francine Prose, V’ctor Manuel Mendiola, Luis Miguel Aguilar, ‘Carmen Aristegui (CNN en Espa’ol), Rocio Gallegos (El Diario de Ju’rez), Jos’ Luis Mart’nez (Milenio Diario) and Julia Preston (The New York Times).

Cooper Union’s Great Hall opened its doors to an audience of 500,’with opening remarks by PEN, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Knight Foundation. Next came’readings by renowned authors, then’a discussion on the overwhelming odds Mexican journalists face’if they try to tell true stories’to their drug-war-ravaged communities. The goal: to put the spotlight on Mexico’s’ State of Emergency and talk about the best ways to help Mexican journalists carry out their work safely.

A major issue is the impunity with which “narcos” break whatever laws they want, knowing that not even murdering a journalist or other agents of civil society will bring investigations or convictions.

“Impunity is the worst form of censorship, not violence,” said Rocio Gallegos from el Diario de Ju’rez.

Knight Foundation works with CPJ and the Inter American Press Association to increase prosecution and conviction rates for those who would’kill journalists’through the Impunity Project.’ The Impunity Project seeks institutional changes by creating a dialog with governmental authorities, promoting proposals that could improve the situation and training journalists and media organizations.

Read CPJ’s special report:’ Silence or Death in Mexico’s Press.

Read coverage of the event (in Spanish):

El Universal El Nuevo Herald La Jornada La Opini’n La Opini’n Univisi’n Agencia EFE El Economista.com.mx Noticias MVS / CNN Mexico Milenio