Lydia Cacho Ribeiro
journalist and author
Scott Griffen
interim executive director International Press Institute
Kadri Gursel
columnist Medyascope
Olga Rudenko
editor-in-chief The Kyiv Independent
What does it take to stand on the front line of the fight for press freedom? What has evolved over the last decades, and what painful realities persist? At a cornerstone moment for global media freedom, with the rise of authoritarianism, disinformation, propaganda, media capture, surveillance, and attacks on journalists, this panel confronts these urgent challenges head-on.
We'll bring together frontline defenders of press freedom—a courageous, independent Ukrainian journalist, a fearless Mexican investigative reporter in exile, and a tireless advocate fighting for press freedom in Turkey—to explore their lived experiences, lessons from the past, and strategies to protect public-interest journalism. What can we learn from these reporters, who have displayed tremendous courage and resilience in fighting for media freedom and the free flow of news, even under consistent pressure and direct attacks?
Moderated by Scott Griffen, IPI Interim Executive Director, this conversation underscores the need for solidarity, collaboration, and a renewed commitment to our shared values to ensure resilient public-interest journalism for the future.
This session comes at a milestone moment for press freedom. As IPI, the world’s oldest press freedom organization, approaches its 75th anniversary in 2025, the challenges facing independent journalism have never been more urgent.
Organised in association with International Press Institute.