Our first-ever hybrid Congress gathered 200 participants in person, with an additional audience of over 100 online attendees, all coming (and connecting virtually) from 43 countries. Almost 70 local and international speakers joined our panel discussions, workshops, keynote speeches, presentations and roundtables.
Amid so many challenges facing the media worldwide, the IPI global network’s sense of community and dedication to independent journalism is what made this event such a success.
Once again, the IPI World Congress proved to be a valuable platform for the media community from around the world to exchange best practices, offer solidarity, and present a united front for strengthening independent media and protecting press freedom.
Photo by IPI
Over a rich, three-day programme at four venues around Vienna, journalists, editors, publishers and media experts from around the world:
• Looked at some of the world’s most innovative newsrooms, from Norway to Zimbabwe and South Africa, to see how using product thinking can make journalism break through in the attention economy. Check out the presentations and video available here.
• Looked into what’s working to keep our newfound audiences after a reader boom during the pandemic. Video available soon!
• Heard from colleagues on the front line of populist and authoritarian restrictions on journalism, including Maria Ressa (the Philippines), Pravit Rojanaphruk (Thailand), Galina Timchenko (Russia), Zaffar Abbas (Pakistan) and more.
• Discussed strategies to stop the spread of media capture in Central Europe, with some of the leading independent voices in journalism from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
• Brainstormed for new ways to fund good journalism with leading journalism funders.
• Honoured the most courageous among us!
At our special Awards Ceremony on Sept. 16, IPI and International Media Support jointly awarded the World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer awards to:
Yuliya Slutskaya of Belarus – 2021 World Press Freedom Hero
A long-time editor and advocate for media freedom, Slutskaya was jailed for eight months by the Lukashenko regime.
Photo by Ronja Koskinen/IPI
Indian news site The Wire – 2021 Free Media Pioneer
The Wire, a digital news pioneer, has successfully bet on independence and reader support amid India’s press freedom slide.
Photo by Ronja Koskinen/IPI
Re-visit IPIWoCo 2021
Check out the photo album we have shared on Google drive and feel free to use, publish and share the photos, but please don’t forget to credit the photographer © Ronja Koskinen/IPI
Did you miss some of the discussions and presentations? Want to watch your favourite speakers and discussions one more time? Share them with friends and colleagues to let them know what they have missed?
→ You can re-view the footage on IPI’s YouTube channel. Check our playlist “2021 IPI World Congress (hybrid IPIWoCo, Vienna)“
Feel free to share any part of the footage also with your audiences, but kindly credit ©IPI.
Let’s keep in touch and support one another
→ The complete list of attendees who made their profile public is available on our website.
We have created a WhatsApp group so we so we can all keep in touch during and after the Congress. We’d love to keep up with what you’re doing. If you missed joining just ask us for the link.
Stay involved and join the online conversation. Follow @globalfreemedia and @IPI_WoCo on Twitter for the latest news and updates on press freedom worldwide.
Not an IPI member?
IPI’s members are media professionals of all types who share a commitment to media freedom and independent journalism. Members support IPI and one another in promoting and protecting our common values. Together, we speak with a unique and powerful voice in defence of the free flow of news.
→ If you enjoyed our World Congress and felt you belong to our network – please join us!
Our partners and supporters
We would like to thank the following institutions and media organizations for their generous support to the IPI World Congress 2021 and to express our special gratitude to our co-hosts: City of Vienna, Presseclub Concordia and ORF.
