Free Press Unlimited during the Summit For Democracy
Free Press Unlimited welcomed experts, journalism practitioners, state representatives and private entrepreneurs from across the world to The Hague to brainstorm about better guarantees for the survival of journalism.
The sessions are part of the Summit for Democracy taking place at the World Forum in The Hague today and tomorrow. The Summit for Democracy was initiated by U.S. President Biden in 2021, and asks states to make new commitments to strengthen democracies globally. The Netherlands is one of the front-runners in promoting media freedom, an important cornerstone of democracy.
Tijdens een livestream event, discussieerde honderden deelnemers van de hele wereld over de noodzaak voor betere veiligheid voor journalisten, nieuwe afspraken voor het economisch overleven van de onafhankelijke media en maatregelen om juridische intimidatie van journalisten tegen te gaan.
Ruth Kronenburg - Executive Director Free Press Unlimited opened the day stating: ‘’Only when media freedom is protected and guaranteed, democracies can flourish and thrive.’’
In a live-streamed event, participants from around the world discussed the need to better protect the safety of journalists, develop new safeguards for the economic survival of independent media, and how to tackle the increasing legal intimidation of media organisations and journalists.
121 pledges have been made to improve media freedom worldwide. One of the main recommendations that came out of the discussions of today is that there should be more local coordination of the safety of journalists. With regards to the legal field, the participants underlined the need for better exchange of best practices for legal reform of laws that endanger the work and freedom of journalists. For the survival of small and public interest media it is important that governments engage in talks with the media rather then imposing decisions on the media, as well as that long-term strategies are developed to support media to flourish instead of going from crisis to crisis.
Tomorrow, the recommendations to states that have come out of our session will by presented by Ruth Kronenburg at the continuation of the Summit for Democracy, at a panel chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra.
About Free Press Unlimited
Access to reliable information is a human right. That is why we, Free Press Unlimited, protect press freedom and the safety of journalists together with over 300 local media partners in more than 50 countries. Together with them, we work on our mission to make independent news and information available to all. Because people deserve to know.
Contact: press@freepressunlimited.org // +31 (0)682091209