Date: 4 – 6 September 2012
Country: Poland
Media Diversity Institute, thanks to the support of Open Society Foundation, took a part in this year’s Economic Forum in Krynica, Poland. Through its 22 years long history Economic Forum has been promoting social and political education serving democratic future of countries in Central and Eastern Europe, attracting state presidents, prime ministers, leading business persons and media from 60 countries from Europe, Central Asia and USA.
Along with Polish president Bronislaw Komorowski, Croatian president Ivo Josipovic and representatives of European institutions and NGO’s, MDI representative Milica Pesic has contributed to the Forum’s debate talking about the importance of independent media.
Milica Pesic has presented MDI activities which encourage civil society and the media working together to fight growing discrimination in the EU. “In the difficult times such as economic crises, terrorism, conflict and poverty, there is an even greater need for responsible journalism to break down walls of prejudice and powerlessness and to be the watchdog of governments. Civil society can help media a great deal do their job better”, said Pesic. Her presentation was based on the recommendations from the MDI’s Study on media coverage of ethnicity & religion in 9 new and old EU countries. MDI study was done over the last two years and was funded by the EU and the OSF.
“Even if we manage to have a national and European dialogue on the importance of the independent media to combat ever growing discrimination, a dialogue between policymakers, civil society and media organisations – as MDI and its partners are trying to do – we cannot succeed without big businesses. It is on the forums such as this one to put pressure on the companies to embrace and practice their social responsibility. Promoting their business in independent media, not only in those close to the governments, in particular in authoritarian regimes, they could make a first step towards serving democratic future, as the Economic Forum expects from them”, said the MDI representative.
Economic Forum is a brainchild of the Eastern Institute in Poland, funded through partnerships with top companies and institutes around the world. This year Forum’s partners were EU, German Marshall Fund, Global Editors Network, Bohlen Kallmorgen & Partner, Visegrad Fund and British Council, and more than 20 similar organisations.
For three days more than 2500 guests on Economic Forum have focused on several topics, mainly related to development and economic crises. For the first time in its history the Forum, as some call it ‘Eastern Davos’, opened its floor to the NGO world starting a debate titled ‘Active citizens in the Free Society’. The editors from leading media outlets such as Blumberg, Reuters, Times, Russian Radio Eco or Gazeta Wyborcza, as well as representatives of over 100 NGOs from Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States, took a part in this debate.
