Before presenting the declaration passed on November 22, 1978 at the twentieth session of the General Conference of Unesco, this publication reviews the events and resolutions that led up to the passage of the declaration and cites remarks on the declaration made at the close of the session by the Director-General of Unesco. The declaration, presented next, consists of a preamble and 11 articles regarding the rights and responsibilities of the mass media in strengthening peace and international understanding, promoting human rights, and countering racism, apartheid, and incitement to war. Among the topics discussed in the articles are the way the mass media can counter violations of human rights by disseminating information on the aims, aspirations, cultures, and needs of all peoples; the role of the media in educating young people in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding; the need to correct the inequalities in the flow of information to, from, and between developing countries; the need for bilateral and multilateral exchanges of information among all nations; and the obligations of nations to guarantee the existence of favorable conditions for the operation of the mass media. (GT)