Serving as a milestone in the Council of Europe’s broader democratic renewal agenda—and advancing Secretary General Alain Berset’s initiative for a “New Democratic Pact for Europe”—this High-Level Conference will bring together government representatives, lawmakers, regulators, civil society, journalists, academics, and technology sector leaders to discuss effective, rights-based strategies to counter disinformation and strengthen democratic resilience.
Amid increasingly sophisticated and large-scale information manipulation, the event will examine the threats disinformation poses to institutions, values, and social cohesion. It will primarily focus on the demand side of the information environment, exploring approaches and measures to strengthen the resilience of citizens and democratic societies to information disorder. Particular emphasis will also be placed on policy responses in the fields of media freedom, media literacy, education, youth and culture, while underlining the importance of coherent, joint-up national strategies, supported by international cooperation and the Council of Europe’s expertise and standards.
In supporting the Secretary General Alain Berset’s initiative for a “New Democratic Pact for Europe”, it will facilitate dialogue on current and future standards. Furthermore, it will support member states to respond to disinformation while fully complying with the European Convention on Human Rights and other Council of Europe standards. The new Council of Europe project “RESIST: Strengthening Societal Resilience to Disinformation in Europe”, funded by the EEA and Norway Grants will also be presented at the Conference.