Free European Media 2018, an international conference on the importance of uncensored, pluralistic media for free European democracies, will take place on 15 and 16 February in Gdansk, Poland.
The conference will include a conversation with Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Polish President Lech Wałęsa. IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen will serve as the keynote speaker on the panel “How legislation violates media freedom.
Media and Law Studies Association will follow this conference and share tweets.
The conference explains the need for such an event on its website as the following: "During the post-World War II era, visionary European leaders established institutions and developed conventions that combined media and democracy to keep the peace in Europe. The Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE (based on the Helsinki Final Act) all regard media freedom as a fundamental pillar of democracy. Today, in several countries we find that the links between free and pluralistic media and politics are being challenged.
Hate speech and fake news are rife, citizens are getting more and more confused as propaganda undermines the credibility of our news media, and our fundamental values are under attack. Impartial and accurate journalism is under attack.
It is high time to address the importance of uncensored, pluralistic media for the development of our free democracies in Europe.
You are cordially invited to Gdansk, Poland on 15-16 th February 2018"
MLSA'S Evin Barış Altınaş will also speak in a session on pluralistic media at 13:45 on Thursday.
