Human Rights and Media Freedom

About the event  

Respect for human rights is inseparable from democracy, which itself is based on free citizenry that freely expresses its diverse opinions and thoughts. Media, be it classical or social, play crucial role in ensuring that variety of information and views reach wide range of the society, providing for voters capable of making well-informed political decisions.  

In recent years, the world has witnessed both decline in democracy and decline in freedom of expression. Media are under pressure; journalists face intimidations, and the work of press has become increasingly dangerous. Social media provided democratisation information and increased opportunities for citizens to be vocal, but it also led to proliferation of fake news, misinformation, manipulation and even hate crime.   

These tendencies have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with media being further silenced due to extraordinary circumstances and authoritarians seizing the momentum for imposing restrictions and curtailing media freedoms. 

The democratic community must push back offer clear and resolute response to these negative tendencies that curtail media freedom, thus putting the democracies and respect of human rights. The panel will discuss the initiatives that have been raised and discussed on EU and international level and will investigate proposals for actions to be undertaken. 

Programme  

17:00 Welcome address 

              Milosz Hodun |Vice President, European Liberal Forum  

              Sebastjan Pikl | Managing director, Institute Novum  

17:10   Opening keynote 

  Irena Joveva  | Member of European Parliament (LMŠ/RE), Slovenia 

17:20    “Human Rights and Media Freedom” 

Speakers: 

             Darren Bergman MP | Shadow Minister – International relations and co-operation,  

             Member of the executive SADC-Parliamentary Forum, South Africa 

 Irena Joveva | Member of European Parliament (LMŠ/RE), Slovenia 

             Adelheid Wölfl | South-East Europe Correspondent of Der Standard, Austria 

  James Gomes | Regional Director of Asia Centre, Thailand 

Moderator:  

               Emil Kirjas| Founder, Kirjas Global 

19:00   End of the event