Making a case for journalism

I believe we must celebrate a remarkable group of journalists and media organisations: Patricia Evangelista from the Philippines, Mónica González from Chile, Hungary’s independent journalists, El CLIP from Latin America and Abzas Media and Meydan TV from Azerbaijan.

You are heroes and you are pioneers. You come from different countries, different generations and different journalistic traditions.

But together you remind us of something very important: that the highest calling of journalism is to serve the public interest, to defend the right of people to know and to ensure that power is never allowed to operate in darkness.

So why is it so critical that we celebrate you here in Bogotá? What are you evidence of?

That journalism is not merely a profession. It is a public service carried by people like you who decide, often at great personal cost, that society must not look away.

Patricia Evangelista, you have shown the power of bearing witness to violence and impunity. Mónica González, you have shown the power of memory, investigation and persistence in the face of authoritarianism. Hungary’s independent journalists have shown the power of continuing to report when the space for independent media was deliberately narrowed.

And El CLIP, Abzas Media and Meydan TV – in fact all of you – have shown us that courageous journalism is not only about individual excellence and persistence. It is also about building the structures, the institutions, the networks and alliances that make independent journalism possible – particularly when under pressure. Maria Teressa, you know that and you did ensure support to such networks during your time with Open Society.

So what connects you all? You all show us the importance of individual courage, of collective resilience and resistance and the critical importance of long-term alliances between journalists, editors, newsrooms and international partners in the fragmented world we live in.

And you demonstrate that when journalism is under attack, protection is not created by courage alone.

Protection is created by visibility.

Protection is created by solidarity.

Protection is created when journalists refuse to be isolated and when the rest of us refuse to leave them standing alone.

This is why networks and alliances matter so deeply.

Because those who wish to silence journalism often begin by isolating journalists. They target one reporter, one newsroom, one organisation at a time.

But when journalists and media work together, when information is shared, when investigations continue across borders and when international attention is mobilised, it becomes harder to silence the truth.

That is why collaboration is not simply a method of journalism. It is a protection strategy. It is a resilience strategy. And it is an impact strategy.

The threats facing journalism today are increasingly networked. Corruption crosses borders. Organised crime crosses borders. Disinformation crosses borders. Authoritarian influence crosses borders.

So journalism must also cross borders. It must connect. It must share knowledge. It must build institutions and alliances strong enough to match the scale of the challenges we face.

So again: why do we celebrate these awardees?

Because you remind us of something absolutely important in the challenging times we are living in. It truly matters what we decide to defend. It truly matters how we come together. And it truly matters how we, with limited resources and increasing threats, focus on what gives journalism protection, sustainability and impact.

In my view, the lesson of this year’s awardees is clear. Independent journalism survives because brave individuals refuse to give up. But it has lasting impact when those individuals are connected, supported, protected and amplified by strong communities and alliances.

So thank you to all of this year’s awardees. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your persistence. Thank you for reminding us that journalism is strongest when it is rooted in truth, carried by people, connected to the public and protected by solidarity.

Stay courageous. Stay resilient. Stay connected and continue with confidence to make the case that journalism matters. The Gabo Festival is making this case – also in the way it is organised. Thanks to the Gabo team for hosting this event. Hugely grateful.