We are pleased to announce a $250,000 gift for the 2020 International Journalism Festival from Craig Newmark Philanthropies. This philanthropic investment marks renewed funding from the foundation of craigslist founder Craig Newmark, which also supported the 2019 event.
“We are thrilled to receive this vote of confidence from Craig and thank him for his generosity,” said Arianna Ciccone and Christopher Potter, co-founders of the International Journalism Festival. “This donation renewal is a sure sign we’re on track to make a meaningful impact. Our objective is to make the 2020 Festival our best yet.”
The event, held every April in Perugia, Italy, is the biggest media conference in Europe. All sessions are offered for free to attendees, without any need for registration. The goal is to make the Festival accessible to all so that the public can participate in crucial conversations on the future of the free press in today’s complex world. This is especially necessary given the global online information war that has been waged on the common good.
Content is also offered online for free to those who cannot make it to Perugia. The sessions are live-streamed, and on-demand videos are available for download immediately afterwards.
“The strength of any democracy depends on a trustworthy press keeping the public informed, and that work is becoming trickier as disinformation continues to bombard us news consumers,” said Newmark. “International Journalism Festival is about including everyone in the discussion on media and society so that we can all stay current on the issues and help to solve them. I’m proud to support their celebration of honest journalism and look forward to attending the event for the fourth time.”
Newmark spoke at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 festivals and will return as a speaker in 2020.