IPI to Hold 60th Anniversary World Congress in Vienna and Bratislava
VIENNA, 3 March: The International Press Institute (IPI) will hold its annual World Congress in Vienna, Austria, and
Bratislava, Slovakia, from 11-14 September 2010, the organisation today officially announced.
The 2010 World Congress will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of IPI, and the organisation will celebrate 60
years of defending press freedom in a series of events, culminating in the World Congress in the “twin cities” of Vienna
and Bratislava. Under the overall theme, “Thinking the Unthinkable: Are We Losing the News? (Media Freedom in the New
Media Landscape),” the three-day conference will focus attention on the state of the news media itself, providing new
business models and solutions for the media, and the unique opportunity to meet and interact with major players from
both traditional and new media outlets.
The Congress will also look at the new ways of delivering information and how new technologies are proving to be a
powerful ally of freedom of opinion and expression.
“The new information platforms are having an enormous impact not only on mainstream journalism, but also on press
freedom in countries where authoritarian regimes seek to curtail freedom of opinion and expression,” said IPI Director
David Dadge.
At a special Gala Dinner and Ceremony, to be held at Vienna City Hall, IPI will honour “60 World Press Freedom Heroes”
to commemorate the 60 years of its existence. IPI’s Press Freedom Heroes are individuals who have made a significant
contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom, especially – but not only – if this involved acts of
resistance or bravery under hardship conditions. “We will pay tribute to these brave men and women, who displayed the
utmost courage in defending press freedom in their country or region,” said Dadge. “Many of them paid the ultimate
price, murdered for what they wrote or said.” IPI intends to invite all surviving Heroes to the ceremony in Vienna.
For the first time, IPI will also hold – parallel to the Congress – a “New Media & High-Tech Innovations Exhibition”, showcasing the latest in new media technologies and information platforms.
The Congress programme features a roster of world-class speakers, including Alex Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning
journalist and director of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s
Kennedy School of Government; Jeff Howe, contributing editor at Wired Magazine and author of the best-selling book,
“Crowdsourcing”; Jim VandeHei, co-founder and executive editor of the influential Politico website; Martin Figueiredo,
publisher and editor-in-chief of i Daily in Portugal; Guy Black, executive director of the Telegraph Media Group in the
United Kingdom; Alexandra Föderl-Schmid, editor-in-chief of Der Standard in Austria; Sarah Montague, presenter, BBC,
London, and many more. The event is expected to draw over 400 participants and their guests from around the world.
Confirmed partners for the Congress are: Google; OMV; Samsung Electronics Ltd.; Telekom Austria Group; City of Vienna;
Twin City Liner; and Austrian Airlines, as official carrier. IPI’s media partners for the Congress are: ORF; Der
Standard & APA.
ENDS