Young journalists bring local perspectives at the World Press Freedom Day Conference 2024

The project aims to combat harmful content online, especially disinformation and hate speech, while promoting freedom of expression and bringing local lessons to global practices. The Youth Multimedia Roomprovided a platform for these young participants to embody this mission.

This year's conference theme, "A press for the planet," highlighted the essential role of journalism in addressing the climate crisis. The young journalists, guided by experts from the University of Texas and global networks that formed the Fact-checking Lab, enhanced their skills in investigative journalism, information verification, and the use of AI tools in reporting.

The involvement of young journalists underscored the importance of representing local and indigenous communities in global discussions. These communities are often the most affected by climate change, yet their voices are among least heard. "Most meaningful for me was to hear about the impact of environmental crimes on marginalized communities," said Anna Shampi, climate change advocate who joined the YMR from Kenya,"Everyone that is in the work of media ultimately has the responsibility to be the voice of their community where there is opression."

Joining the event from Colombia, a young photographer Karen Yuliana Cabrera Yacuechimesaid, "Visiting a Latin American country like Chile personally, as a Colombian, allowed me to better understand what it means to be part of the global South, which has historically fought for the protection of our territories and peoples," she noted, "I wish many people- our grandparents, children, and more young people-could have this same opportunity to bring their knowledge to exchange in global settings and allow this magic to keep happening."

Beyond representing their communities, the young journalists had the opportunity to engage directly with renowned speakers and seasoned journalists, including Maria Ressa, a Nobel laureate and prominent advocate for press freedom. Ana Maria Ramirez Castillo, a photographer from Colombia, found this aspect particularly enriching. "The chance to create content for UNESCO's platforms and interact with global experts offered greater visibility for our work and deeper access to firsthand information," she said.

For the first time, the YMR also included digital content creators and influencers around the world, creating a melting pot of experiences. Haris Buljubasic, a young journalist from Bosnia and Herzegovina working with Aljazeera Balkans, shared how the experience inspired him to enhance his upcoming sustainability project through content creation. "I've had an extraordinary experience in Chile," he said,"Interaction with the influencers really helped me learn how to create more engaging content and see how they work to become some of the best climate communicators."

As they returned to their home countries, the young participants carried with them the inspiration and tools to foster more inclusive digital spaces and provide better coverage on climate change issues, indigenous communies and languages.

You can find some of the content that they created during the World Press Freedom Day in Chile through this websiteand social media.