EFJ to hold its Annual Meeting in The Hague on 11-12 May 2023
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will hold its annual meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. Around 100 journalists and trade union representatives from 45 countries in Europe are expected to meet on 11-12 May 2023.
The Hague was chosen as the host city of the upcoming congress of the EFJ, representing 320,000 journalists in Europe. Co-organised by the Dutch journalists’ union Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ), the assembly will be held in Beeld en Geluid, the Sound & Vision Museum.
“With its reputation as the home of international law and arbitration, The Hague is an appropriate venue to convene in times of war and growing threats for democracy all over the world. We are looking forward to welcoming EFJ delegates in May in The Hague,” said Renske Heddema, President of the NVJ.
A side event will focus on independent reporting in wartime and the challenge for international journalists to provide truthful reporting on the war in Ukraine. A panel with journalists and a lecture by international correspondent Step Vaessen (Al Jazeera Media Network) will discuss the moral and practical dilemmas.
A roundtable entitled “Journalists, take care of yourself! PersVeilig helps” will also highlight some of Europe’s best practices in terms of safety, following the example of the PersVeilig monitoring platform launched by the NJV, the Association of Editors-in-Chief, the police and the public prosecutor’s office to help journalists who face violence or aggression in the course of their work.
“At a time when the safety of journalists is a top priority in our work, the annual meeting in The Hague will be an opportunity to redouble our efforts and share our expertise on protection mechanisms. Our Dutch colleagues are a shining example of the work done to protect journalists,” added EFJ President Maja Sever.
