The 2027 IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival will bring together the world’s leading journalists, editors, and media leaders in Budapest, Hungary, from May 12 to 14, 2027.
“With democracy under pressure across the globe and media organisations navigating an unprecedented convergence of political, economic, and technological headwinds, Budapest is the ideal setting for the strategic, collaborative conversations we need on safeguarding the future of independent journalism”, IPI Executive Director Scott Griffen said.
The 2027 World Congress will mark a symbolic return 35 years after IPI hosted its 1992 Congress in Budapest — its first-ever held behind the Iron Curtain and which came at a time of broader democratic and media transition in Central and Eastern Europe.
“Thirty-five years later, IPI is now returning to Hungary at another pivotal moment of transition as the country emerges from the Orbán era and offers a possible roadmap for how media communities around the world can emerge from media capture and illiberalism, and rebuild”, Griffen said.
“This Congress will be a platform for the global journalism and media freedom community to gather in a spirit of solidarity, collaboration, and innovation, and to learn from and be inspired by colleagues across the globe — including Hungary’s independent journalists, whose commitment to watchdog reporting in the face of relentless state pressure offers a powerful story of resilience. We are thrilled at the opportunity for our global network to convene in Budapest.”
About the IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival
The IPI World Congress has brought together members of the IPI global network and the wider media freedom community for nearly eight decades, often at turning points in history. Following IPI’s landmark 75th anniversary Congress in Vienna in October 2025, the event now takes place every second year.
Alongside the Congress, the Media Innovation Festival will once again bring together media innovators, entrepreneurs, and publishers to share, learn, and explore new approaches to building sustainable, independent media.
The 2027 Congress will also feature the World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer awards ceremony, honouring exceptional courage and resilience in journalism.
Registration will open later this year, alongside further announcements on programme topics and speakers. Follow IPI on our channels and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear.
Interested in becoming a sponsor or partner for the 2027 IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival?
Write to our team at congress[at]ipi[dot]media for more information.