that established the commission/mission (e.g., the President of the Security Council or the Secretary-General). As mentioned above, it is important that the secretariat of high-profile commissions/missions that are likely to attract considerable media attention should include a professional media officer. The commission’s/mission’s approach to public information and media should be agreed early on, preferably at its first meeting, including whether one member would be designated as its spokesperson or whether public speaking would be a shared responsibility; and how to agree on public statements made by any member. 2. BEFORE THE COMMISSION BEGINS WORK As soon as a mandate for the establishment of a commission/mission is created, the media may demand information or public statements about the mandate and its implications. Even though the members have not yet been named, the mandating body may need to release brief details on the mandate and projections of when the commission/mission may begin work. These statements should ideally draw upon the language used in the mandate. The statements could be made by the President/Chair of the mandating authority or by relevant spokespersons in the context of press briefings. A press release is usually issued by the mandating authority to announce the news of the appointment of the members and the beginning of the commission’s/mission’s work (or the agreed starting date). 3. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMISSION’S WORK As soon as it begins work, the commission/mission should publish information about its mandate, its terms of reference and its composition, its agreed methods of work, its schedule, if available and appropriate, and on how to contact it or submit information to it. It should also communicate protection of information and confidentiality provisions, and any guarantees provided by the State concerned and others to refrain from interfering with the inquiry and the persons cooperating with it. Information should be short, simple and clear and ideally published as early as possible. It should be translated into local language(s) and distributed as widely as possible through the international and national media, United Nations agencies, NGOs and the State authorities concerned, and certainly before the commission/mission embarks on a field visit. This information should also be posted on the commission/mission website in all relevant languages. GUIDANCE AND PRACTICE 83