A/HRC/24/23 which aims to protect journalists and media professionals facing threats of violence. As part of the programme, civil society organizations monitor threats against journalists and present cases to the Risk Evaluation and Regulation Committee, an inter-institutional committee that determines the protection measures to be implemented. Colombia also established a national unit for the protection of journalists to provide equipment and assistance constituting material measures of protection to journalists, such as mobile phones, bulletproof vehicles and emergency evacuations and transfers to other regions of the country or abroad under witness protection programmes. This initiative brings together previously separate protection programmes in Colombia for the protection of judges, prosecutors, witnesses, human rights defenders, journalists and others. 26. Mexico stated that the Law on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists of 2012 created mechanisms to increase cooperation between federal and State agencies and civil society to implement measures to protect human rights defenders and journalists. The Law also established a fund for the protection of human rights defenders and journalists, which provides funding for the implementation and operation of urgent and preventive measures to protect human rights defenders and journalists. An early warning system has the purpose of providing journalists with immediate access to the authorities if threatened. 27. In its response, Montenegro stated that the police performed risk assessments for all media employees or their family members who had been subjected to threats, after which protective measures, including police protection, may be provided. In addition, checks were reportedly conducted of persons registered as having committed assaults against journalists. 28. Georgia noted in its response that, in cooperation with United States Agency for Development and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), it gave training to media professionals and the police to enhance the safety of journalists, including during public demonstrations. In Denmark, the curriculum for students of journalism includes “risk reporting”, which provides students with knowledge on operating safely in areas of crisis or conflict. In Montenegro, the Centre for Education of Agents of the Administration of Justice reportedly has an annual training programme for judges that includes sessions on freedom of expression. The Russian Federation reported the holding of several training sessions on journalistic practices, with the participation of government entities and media organizations. 29. Other States, including Denmark, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, noted that public condemnations of attacks against journalists were an important protection measure. 4. Advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives 30. The responses received from States showed that they had adopted a broad spectrum of initiatives for drawing attention to the issues of freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. The initiatives included prizes for contributions to the freedom of expression, and special observance days to highlight the vital role that journalists and a free press played in democratic societies. Regarding the latter, examples included the “Freedom of Expression of Thought Day” (20 September) and “National Day of Press Freedom” (23 October) in Uruguay, and the “Imprisoned Writers’ Day” (15 November) in Sweden. States also pointed out that awareness-raising had been conducted by means of conferences and meetings held at the national, regional and international levels on the issues of freedom of expression and the -protection of journalists. For example, in June 2012, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the International Press Institute World Congress on the theme, “Media in a challenging world: a 360 degree perspective”, which included a focus on protection of journalists. Sweden reported that it had created a website that hosted information on a range of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression. 9