CPJ Events

Carlos Lauría, Senior Coordinator for the Americas, Committee to Protect Journalists will testify at the Congressional Hearing: Threats to Press Freedom in the Americas on July 29.

The event will cover a description of the state of press freedom in the Americas, paying particular attention to the challenges journalists are facing in the region at-large and in specific countries. It will also include an analysis of challenges to the press both government-sponsored and from other factors, such as criminal groups, internal armed conflict, drug trade, or social factors, etc. Carlos will also discuss CPJ's work and findings on press challenges in the region, while providing policy recommendations for Congress to consider on how to more effectively promote press liberties.

The Internet Governance Forum USA (IGF-USA) is a multistakeholder effort to illuminate issues and cultivate constructive discussions about the future of the Internet. It provides a domestic forum in the US to engage civil society, government, technologists, research scientists, industry and academia, helping to create partnerships, coalitions and dialogues that demonstrate best practices and help move policy forward.

Regional and national IGF meetings are taking place globally, including gatherings in East Africa, Europe (EuroDig), Latin America, the Caribbean, West Africa, Spain and Italy. These events are organized on a local level and have no formal ties to the global IGF, however the UN's IGF Secretariat recognizes the importance of the regional and national events and reports from these meetings are shared at the international gatherings.

The Aspen Ideas Festival is the nation's premier, public gathering place for leaders from around the globe and across many disciplines to engage in deep and inquisitive discussion of the ideas and issues that shape our lives and challenge our times.This year's theme is Smart Solutions to the World's Toughest Challenges.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is partnering with Human Rights Watch to present The Unravelling: Human rights reporting and digital storytelling.

In November 2013, Human Rights Watch Emergencies director Peter Bouckaert and leading photojournalist Marcus Bleasdale began a journey to draw attention to a humanitarian crisis in a country that few people in the world even knew existed. The aim was to document the war crimes and horrific bloodshed that was taking place in the little-known country of the Central African Republic. Culminating in the multimedia project The Unravelling, their investigations have become the most important source of information on a crisis that continues today. This program includes documentary footage from The Unravelling as well as discussions on how the project was produced and disseminated. We will learn how Peter and Marcus used every tool available to put the story on the map and the methods they used to capture photographs, videos and satellite imagery. We will also learn how they crafted their material into a compelling narrative for the public and policy-makers.

On June 8th, the Newseum will rededicate its Journalists Memorial in recognition of the dangers in the profession of journalism and those who have died in pursuit of news and information. This year's ceremony recognizes 14 journalists who represent those who died in 2014.

Dissecting the big challenges facing publishers, policy makers and civil society: focus on internet governance and right to be forgotten

Today news publishers find themselves sharing the news making process with citizen journalists as well as with social platforms and Silicon Valley. In the words of Emily Bell, Director of Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism, "the 'two cultures' of engineering and journalism are very different" and the situation has obvious consequences on freedom of expression, "To have our free speech standards, our reporting tools and publishing rules set by unaccountable software companies is a defining issue not just for journalism but the whole of society" . It seems necessary for the content providers to actively participate in the debate on the globalized digital regulatory agenda, and help identify shared values. WAN-IFRA World Media Policy Forum is aimed at providing a networking and knowledge platform for this discussion.

The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is a thriving global community of rights defenders, dissidents, Nobel Laureates, tech visionaries, heads of state, journalists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, authors, artists, philanthropists, photographers, filmmakers, cartoonists, musicians, scholars, and students. This spring, they come together in Norway to tell their stories, brainstorm ideas, launch initiatives, and share an unforgettable experience of solidarity in challenging arbitrary power around the world. The 2015 Oslo Freedom Forum will take place on May 25-27.

Africa24 Media and MoSound Events will host the Mohamed Amin Africa Media Awards (MAAMAs) to celebrate the best of Africa's TV content. The Awards, named after the legendary videographer and photographer, Mo Amin, will be accompanied by a training workshop for journalists from across the continent. Tom Rhodes, East Africa Correspondent for the Committee to Protect Journalists, will speak on a panel addressing the state of press freedom in Kenya. The event is aimed at honing skills and trading the latest ideas on outstanding television production.

"Many of you knew Mo Amin for his competitive spirit when pursuing news stories. But he was a lot more than that. He was about training young Africans in the latest technology and setting them loose with his highest standards in mind," said AFRICA24's Salim Amin. Addressing the press, Kevin Muley, MoSound Events Managing Director emphasised the importance of telling the African story and recognising our own. "MoSound Events and AFRICA24 Media are not only passionate about producing African content but are working tirelessly to develop more platforms for Africans to tell their stories-and honouring them! It is a mandate we have gladly taken upon ourselves that is why we jointly present to you the Mohamed Amin Africa Media Awards," he said.

For a decade now, MoSound Events has delivered East Africa's best event experiences and is most recognisable as the producer of the region's premier award galas including the popular Groove Awards in both Kenya and Rwanda. "We're at hand to deliver credible processes in the submission, judging, voting and awarding the best of Africa's media, in true MoSound Excellence."

Presented by the National Writers Union, along with the International Federation of Journalists, the Communications Coordination Committee for the United Nations, and the Metro New York Labor Communications Council. Panelist for the discussion will include H.E. Mrs. Bénédicte Frankinet, Ambassador, Permanent Representative Of Belgium To The United Nations, Herb Boyd, Susan E. Davis, Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Charles Seife, Frank Smyth.

Moderated by Jon Williams

Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator, will attend Al Jazeera's 8th Annual Forum, "Change in the Arab World: Where to?" The forum seeks to discuss the transformations of the Arab revolutions through diverse activities, starting with a review of transition paths, followed by the identification of obstacles, and finally (among other objectives), the anticipation of the future of the Arab world and trends of change. The forum will host a wide array of scholars, experts, politicians, journalists and youth and civil society organization activists from around the world in order to create profound dialogue on the topic.

Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, along with a number of institutions within the network including Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Center, the Department of Public Liberties and Human Rights, Al Jazeera Net, Al Jazeera English Online and the Department of Innovation and Incubation will hold several sessions over three days. Most of the forum's sessions will be broadcasted live on Al Jazeera Mubasher.