Event

UNCOVERED 2023 PROGRAMME

Set to take place in Brussels on October 12 and 13, IJ4EU UNCOVERED brings together freelancers and staff journalists from across Europe with leading experts in watchdog reporting to share insights and experiences.

Event date: 12. October 2023

Check out the speakers and topics planned for IJ4EU’s annual conference on October 12 and 13.

DAY 1 – Thursday, October 12

⇒ Venue: Conference Hall – Macke-Ernst

12:30 – 12:50 | Opening Ceremony

 

12:50 – 13:30 | Keynote Speech
AI in Journalism: Opportunities, Challenges, and ICIJ Insights

In an era where technology is reshaping the way we engage with information, the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Journalism has become a focal point of exploration. This keynote will uncover the multifaceted landscape of AI’s role in journalism, offering a comprehensive examination of its potential, risks, challenges, and real-world applications through the lens of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). As we peer into the world of AI-enabled journalism, we will delve into its potential to streamline information processing, and unlock novel investigative avenues.

 

13:30 – 14:00 | Coffee Break & Icebreaker

 

14:00 – 15:00 | Ethical Dilemmas of Investigating Migration

Investigative journalists often catch themselves pondering on questions of ethics while investigating migration-related topics: Where does the public interest lie and where does that of the migrants begin? How to avoid harming people and communities at risk, or reinforcing arbitrary divisions (e.g. migrants versus traffickers, or good versus bad migrants) and stereotypes while covering migration stories? What angles and language to use to tell these stories? How much context is needed to exhibit the complexity of the singularities such as legal frameworks, human conditions, and international networks surrounding migration to the public? Four cross-border journalists gather during this panel to seek potential answers to these and other questions and share their experiences with each other as well as the audience.

Moderator: Elena Ledda, Independent Journalist

15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee Break

 

16:00 – 17:00 | Investigating the War in Ukraine: The Promise and Pitfalls of Cross-border Reporting

As the war in Ukraine rages, the frontline remains the most important news topic in the country. Ukrainian investigative journalists are working tirelessly to reveal the consequences of the war both to their own public and to the public abroad. In this context, Ukrainian journalists are no strangers to transnational investigations, pooling resources, expertise and networks to tell untold stories. This panel will explore questions related to the relevance of cross-border collaborative reporting in the context of war and will discuss how successful initiatives between Ukrainian and other media organisations build resilience and foster innovation on all sides. It will also show the constraints faced by Ukrainian investigative journalists in joining collaborative teams and focus on what can be done to facilitate their participation in cross-border reporting.

  • Elena Loginova, Investigative Journalist, OCCRP
  • Anna Myroniuk, Head of Investigations, Kyiv Independent
  • Yanina Korniyenko, Journalist, Slidstvo

 

17:00 – 17:30 | Coffee Break

 

17:30 – 18:30 | Eyes on the Environment: How Corporate Interests Cost the Earth

Can we afford to buy our way out of an environmental crisis? Companies seem to think so. Three investigations funded by IJ4EU reveal the extent to which industries from agriculture to household appliance manufacture keep exploiting not only the air, water and soil but also human labour in Europe, and often with silent acknowledgement by EU institutions.

Moderator: Jelena Prtorić, Project Coordinator, Arena for Journalism in Europe

 

⇒ Venue: Seminar Room – Heine

14:00 – 15:00 | Supply Chains Untangled

Can supply chains be manipulated into revealing the secrets that they hide? In this series of two quick workshops, two journalists will demonstrate their approaches to unravelling the complexity of supply chains with a hands-on approach and answer questions from the audience.

 

15:30 – 16:30 | Behind the Lens: Workshop on Photographing Responsibly

During this panel, ECPMF`s Andreas Lamm will host Albert Lores and Hanna Jarzabek, two photojournalists with experience in investigations into dire humanitarian situations such as warfare and migration. Drawing on practical examples and ethical discussions, the panel focuses on insights into responsible and respectful visual storytelling and the balance between the right to information and the rights of the individual.

Moderator: Andreas Lamm, Deputy Managing Director, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

 

17:00 – 18:00 | Letting the Cat out of the Bag: Investigating Animal Stories

From illegal fishing of tuna in the Mediterranean to the mismanagement of bear rewilding projects and the unregulated trade and breeding of puppies, abuse of animals is rife throughout Europe. During this panel discussion, a selection of IJ4EU grantees will explore the role cross-border investigative journalism can play in exposing criminal networks benefitting from this exploitation of wildlife, and the corruption that goes hand in hand with it.

Moderator: Zlatina Siderova, Project Manager, European Journalism Centre

DAY 2 – Friday, October 13

⇒ Venue: Conference Hall – Macke-Ernst

09:00 – 09:15  | Registration

 

09:15 – 10:15 | Masterclass: The Murky Funding of European Politics

Brussels is gearing up for the European Elections in June 2024 that will define the course of the EU for the next five years. But the EU political parties (and their foundations), umbrella organisations for the national parties of each political movement, have been operating mostly under the radar. What role do they play? How have they changed over the years? And, how are they funded? The Brussels Bureau of the Dutch investigative platform Follow the Money has published extensively about the murky finances back in 2019 and will do so again in the coming year. In this masterclass, Follow the Money’s Lise Witteman and Jesse Pinster will show how they have been researching this underreported topic and tell you about the cross-border project on private donations to political parties in each of the EU member states they are setting up in the runup to next year’s elections.

 

10:15 – 10:45 | Coffee Break

 

10:45 – 11:45 | Got your Back: MFRR Supporting Investigative Journalism

Following the three pillars of MFRR, this panel focuses on monitoring, practical and legal support, as well as advocacy. Jamie Wiseman (IPI) underlines the significance of reporting press and media freedom violations for investigative journalists during the course of their work for tracking interference in the functioning of watchdog journalism in the EU. Flutura Kusari (ECPMF) and Emma Bergman (FPU) present available support offers including practical, legal and shelter support for journalists to enable them to continue their work. Likewise, Camille Petit (EFJ) draws on the advocacy efforts under MFRR ranging from joint statements, open letters, and high-level meetings with decision-makers as well as submissions to legislative processes which all together ensures a safe and secure environment to nourish and reach its highest potential in Europe.

Moderator:  Gürkan Özturan, MFRR Project Coordinator, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

11:45 – 12:15 Coffee Break

 

12:15 – 13:15 | Cross-border Teams: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Join us for a candid discussion about navigating diverse cultures, legal landscapes, ethical dilemmas, communication barriers and power dynamics that can arise when journalists join forces across borders. By openly addressing these issues, we aim to equip teams with strategies to tackle the unexpected hurdles that may arise when striving to bring international stories to light. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved in collaborative journalism and discover ways to transform potential challenges into avenues for impactful reporting.

Moderator: Timothy Large, Director of Independent Media Programmes, International Press Institute (IPI)

13:15 – 13:30 | Concluding Remarks

⇒ Venue: Conference Hall – Macke-Ernst

09:15 – 10:15  |  Pushing for European Anti-SLAPP legislation 

Autumn of 2023 will be a decisive time of the year for Anti-SLAPP work that was carried out over the past years in Europe. The European Commission is expected to finalise its Anti-SLAPP legislative package and similarly the Council of Europe will be working toward the finalisation of the first anti-SLAPP recommendation in Europe. At the same time, the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) is preparing the ground for implementation of standards at national level. This panel will discuss the recent developments at the EC and CoE level and will feature the work of CASE at national level.

Moderator: Flutura Kusari, Senior Legal Advisor, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

10:45 – 11:45 |  Small Teams, Great Practices

In this series of two short interactive discussions, we will have a look at examples of great practices adopted by small newsrooms. Iliana Papangeli of Solomon, a non-profit public interest news outlet in Greece, will share her team`s experience of employing a therapist in order to protect the team members mental health while investigating sensitive topics. Ariadne Papagapitos of the Lighthouse Reports will talk about her work as an Impact Editor focusing on how to generate a stronger and more widespread impact through cross-border investigations.

Moderator: Deniz Bozkurt, IJ4EU Programme and Event Manager, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

 

12:00 – 13:00 |  A View from Above: Satellite Journalism

From how far away do we need to look at our t-shirts to see if they were produced with forced labour? Vertical 52’s Marcus Pfeil explains how to make use of the thousands of satellites orbiting our planet to reveal the hidden stories behind otherwise innocuous images.