Between October 23 and 25, 2025, Vienna became the stage for the 75th IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival. It brought together more than 300 journalists, editors, innovators, and media organizations from across the globe. With its broad focus on independent journalism, the discussions in the panels addressed urgent topics such as the transformative power of artificial intelligence, the growing dominance of Big Tech platforms, and the tightening pressure on media freedom under authoritarian regimes. Other key issues included the future of investigative reporting, sustainable media financing, and the resilience of local journalism in times of crisis.
Our Media Programme South East Europe of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung participated in the congress alongside four distinguished journalists from the region: Leila Bicakcic, Executive Director of the Center for Investigative Reporting (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Sashka Cvetkovska, Editor-in-Chief of the Investigative Reporting Lab (North Macedonia), Alina Radu, Director of Ziarul de Garda (Moldova), and Stevan Dojcinovic, Editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (Serbia).
Leila Bicakcic moderated the panel “The Future of Investigative Collaboration,” where cross-border cooperation was highlighted as a vital tool for amplifying the impact of investigative journalism. Alina Radu joined the session “Beyond Buzzwords: The Reality of Resilience,” addressing the challenges of maintaining trust and independence in constrained environments. Sashka Cvetkovska contributed insights on combating disinformation and countering manipulative narratives, while Stevan Dojcinovic emphasized the importance of collaborative journalism in exposing corruption and ensuring accountability across borders.
In addition to their participation in the panels, the journalists also took part in an enriching exchange with our colleagues from the KAS Media Programmes Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and their fellows. During a special meeting, fifteen journalists from Mauritius, South Africa, Ethiopia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Indonesia shared their challenges and the key topics they are covering at a time when the world is looking at Ukraine and Gaza. The discussion revealed striking similarities of their experiences and started a dialogue that will continue to strengthen connections across continents.
One of the highlights of the congress was its tribute to outstanding courage in journalism during the World Press Freedom Heroes and Free Media Pioneer Awards ceremony, held at the University of Vienna. Seven journalists were honoured for their exceptional bravery and dedication to the cause of free and honest media. “This group of extraordinary journalists and outlets has a lot to teach us about how we can meet the demands of this current global moment and create a vision for the future of independent journalism”, said Scott Griffen, Executive Director of IPI.
As the event concluded, it became clear that the discussions in Vienna demonstrated a lasting truth - while the tools of communication continue to evolve, the principles of free media remain constant - to be truthful, courageous, and always in service of the public good.