With the decision already taken to revert to a separate venue for the World Editors Forum in 2012, WAN-Ifra has announced will move to Kiev, Ukraine, that year.

The city will host the 2012 World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo.

The decision to hold the events from September 2-5, 2012 was made by the WAN-Ifra’s executive committee at a meeting in Zürich. The gathering will follow Ukraine's hosting of the 2012 Euro Cup soccer championship.

The Congress and Editors Forum will be hosted by the Ukrainian Association of Press Publishers and the Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine.

This year's meetings will be held in Vienna, Austria, from October 12-15, along with IfraExpo. More than 1200 newspaper publishers and senior newspaper executives are expected.

WAN-Ifra says the decision to hold the 64th World Newspaper Congress and 19th World Editors Forum comes as the Ukrainian press operates in conditions that are evident in many post-Soviet countries: Support for press freedom but weak protections that allow for recurrent violations.

"We are delighted that Kiev will host our 2012 meetings," says chief executive Christoph Riess. "The city provides an outstanding venue with many attractions, and also offers us the opportunity to aid media development and work with our colleagues in Europe's second largest country.”

Borys Lozhkin, president of Ukrainian Media Holding, and vice president of the Ukrainian Association of Press Publishers, says Ukraine has only 20 years of independence from the former Soviet Union, and is still developing its level of professional journalism and the right to freedom of the press.

“Media development in Ukraine still needs more interaction between Ukrainian journalists and editors with media professionals from all over the world. The World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum will foster not only the pace of this process itself, but also will influence state officials who are considering the role of free press in Ukraine in the legislative framework."