The third edition of the Voices Festival brought together more than 2,500 participants in Florence, Italy, from 10 to 12 March, confirming its ambition to become a vibrant meeting point for citizens, journalists, students, media freedom and literacy advocates. Over three days, the festival featured an inspiring programme of more than 50 debates, workshops, talks, and screenings, exploring the key challenges facing journalism today. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), one of the partner organisations, looks back at some of the most outstanding moments and key takeaways from this year’s edition.
Tell me more about the EMFA
Nowadays, no European journalism festival would be complete without discussions on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the first European regulation providing safeguards for the media and journalists from political and economic interference. Experts, including EFJ Director Renate Schroeder and former Commissioner Vera Jourova, the “mother” of the EMFA, helped the audience to navigate the ins and outs of this legislation. They all stressed that the EMFA is “not just another Brussels regulation” but the most important legal framework to protect media pluralism, public service media and editorial independence in Europe – if and only if the rules are enforced.
Raise your Voices for Justice
Matthew Caruana Galizia is perhaps the person who most embodies the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists in Europe. He launched the Voices for Justice initiative after witnessing, following the assassination of his mother Daphne Caruana Galizia in a car bomb attack, systematic efforts to undermine the mechanisms fighting impunity. Signed by leading journalists and media freedom organisations, including the EFJ, the declaration calls for stronger legal protections, independent investigations, political commitment, and coordinated international action to end impunity. During a press conference at Voices together with journalism students, signatories reminded that in 2025, journalist killings reached a record high worldwide, and those who order such crimes are almost never held accountable.
Spotlight on emerging talents and outstanding work
It has now become a highlight of Voices: every edition honours outstanding journalistic works and media literacy initiatives with awards. The new Media Freedom Award was presented to Sergiy Tomilenko on behalf of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the teams of the Network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers, for their tireless efforts supporting Ukrainian journalists. In survival time, the six Solidarity Centers provide basic needs such as electricity, internet connection, food, as well as safety equipment, such as drone detectors. But they also serve as vital solidarity hubs. “We understood something very clear: we can’t stop the war. But we can help journalists protect themselves. We don’t know what challenges tomorrow will bring. But we know journalists must not feel alone, this is why the Centers exist,” said NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko when receiving the award.
AI in the newsroom: What’s real, what’s not
There’s no doubt about it: Artificial intelligence is the hot topic. In a fascinating discussion led by Alexiane Lerouge (European Broadcasting Union), participants had the opportunity to observe in a very direct and practical way how news organisations actually use artificial intelligence – and, importantly, what they do not use it for. Through a series of scenarios in which the audience was asked to determine whether they were real or not, the panel was able to explore applications of AI beyond the stereotypes that readers often have in mind.
Living stories
Voices is also about feeling and connecting with journalists. The Living Stories session captures that spirit by bringing audiences into small groups with journalists who share, firsthand, what it means to report under pressure. Now in its third edition, the session once again offered a powerful and deeply human exchange. It featured Egyptian investigative journalist and human rights defender Basma Mostafa, living in exile in Berlin; Luciana Esposito, an investigative journalist from Naples who is currently under police protection; Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage.it, the first journalist to come forward after WhatsApp revealed that it had detected a hacking attempt; and Eman Al-Haj Al, a young Palestinian freelance journalist, who was forced to evacuate Gaza last year. Through their personal accounts, they all shared the same determination for independent and professional journalism. A form of journalism that cannot be practiced without stronger safeguards to ensure its viability.
A talk with Francesca Albanese
The most packed room hosted Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Albanese, interviewed by students and young journalists, stressed the power of language in a moment when we speak of a “board of peace” while in Gaza, there is nothing but peace. She stressed the essential role of journalists in witnessing such reality and deplored the lack of funding for independent journalism. “This must change. It takes courage, dedication, patience, and altruism, without losing sight of the goal,” she said. You can catch up on this (and other sessions) on YouTube.
As Iva Nenadic, Scientific Coordinator of the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) at the European University Institute said in her moving opening speech:
“Voices is meant to be a space where we meet to construct not to divide, to understand not to dismiss.”
That’s precisely what we hope Voices has achieved so far.
The Festival continues its journey and will next land in Thessaloniki, Greece, for its fourth edition. Join us from 26 to 28 November 2026 as Voices carries on. Save the dates!
Source: EFJ
