World Press Freedom Day is observed to highlight the importance of a free, independent, and safe press and to remind governments of their duty to respect media freedom. On which date is World Press Freedom Day celebrated every year?

Introduction / Context:
World Press Freedom Day is a major United Nations observance that focuses on the essential role of a free press in democracy, human rights, and development. It honours journalists who have lost their lives and calls attention to attacks on media freedom worldwide. Examinations frequently ask about its date, making this a must know fact for aspirants studying international organisations and current affairs.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The observance is called World Press Freedom Day.
• It is a global day supported by UNESCO and the United Nations.
• The question asks for the fixed calendar date.
• Four possible dates in May are listed as options.

Concept / Approach:
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on May 3. This date was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 and is based on the historic Windhoek Declaration on press freedom in Africa. The approach is to connect the issue of press freedom with the specific date of May 3 and to distinguish it from other early May observances such as International Firefighters Day on May 4.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the observance falls in the first week of May.Step 2: Remember that May 3 is singled out by UNESCO and the United Nations as World Press Freedom Day.Step 3: Scan the options for May 3, which appears as option C.Step 4: Verify that other dates such as May 1, May 2, and May 4 are associated with different observances.Step 5: Mark May 3 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, recall news stories and editorials that appear each year around May 3, discussing the state of press freedom and often quoting press freedom indices. These stories almost always mention that May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. Official UNESCO websites and United Nations portals also list May 3 as the date of this observance, confirming the answer beyond doubt.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
May 1 is internationally recognised as Labour Day or International Workers Day, not as World Press Freedom Day.

May 2 does not correspond to this observance and is included only to test careful reading of dates.

May 4 is known for other days, including International Firefighters Day, and is not linked to press freedom in standard calendars.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates know that the day falls in early May but confuse May 3 with May 1 or May 4, especially when they memorise several important days together. Another pitfall is mixing press freedom with generic media days or communication observances that may fall on different dates. To avoid this, you can pair May 3 with the keyword press freedom in your notes, and remember that Labour Day on May 1 and Firefighters Day on May 4 form a small sequence around it.

Final Answer:
The correct date is May 3.