In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly Program Partners Under the Patronage of the declared May 3rd to be “World Press Freedom European Parliament Day”. This event is intended in particular to re- AEJ • Crosstalks • European Commission DG mind governments of their duty to respect and Connect • European Endowment for Democracy uphold the right to freedom of expression. The • Evens Foundation • Live Magazine• Mediawijs latter reflects the democratic vitality and plural- • RTBF • UAB • UNESCO • VRT • ism of a society. Willemsfonds Difference Day honours the persons and or- Sponsors ganisations who make a difference. The Bertelsmann • Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest - event on May 3rd 2018 at BOZAR will be a Région de Bruxelles-Capitale • European combined effort of numerous partners. We Broadcasting Union • European Publishers are also honoured to have the patronage of Council • European Commission • MPA • UNESCO and European Parliament to endorse Nationale Loterij/Loterie Nationale • Vlaamse our cause. Minister van Media • Vlaamse UNESCO Com- missie/Commision belge francophone et ger- manophone pour UNESCO Endorsers & Media Partners Amnesty International • AJP • Arabel • BRUZZ • CPJ • Crosstalks • De Auteurs • • De Optimistenbond • De Persgroep • • • DeMens.nu • EFJ • ENPA • Entertainment One • Euractiv • EMMA • • Gold FM • GrenzEcho • • • • Humo • IPM Group • Journalismfund.eu • Kinepolis •Knack • Follow us on: • La Dernière Heure • La Gazette • La Libre • • La Première • La Province Organised by: • • Le Vif • La Presse • L’Avenir • L’Echo • Twitter: #DD18 or @differenceday16 Live Magazine • Mediafin • Mediahuis • Facebook: @differencedaybxl Mediargus • Nord Eclaire • PEN-Club • & Instagram: Difference Day Cie • Roularta MediaGroup • RTBF • Sudpresse • YouTube for videod sessions Trends/Tendances • UNRIC • Vlaamse Nieuwsmedia • VRT

Speak Freely Listen Respectfully Different Opinions Matter Program 13:30 - 15:00 Debate (Terarken 1) listened to? Listen to the professionals to offer their per- Resisting Commercial Correctness in the Newsroom spectives on getting voices of resistance heard. In this debate we look for initiatives of news media compa- With: Justin Schlosberg, Thomas Duprel, Sandra Kacaven- All Day nies throughout Europe and the world that invest in doing dic, Marta Frisova. reporting differently and work in a different spirit, resisting Speakers Corner (outside BOZAR @Tent) this commercial correctness, with the objective of bringing Moderator: Eva Van Passel less boring news and news of a better quality. How do they After London (Hyde Park), Brussels will have its own Speak- 17:00 - 17:30 Break ers Corner for at least one day. Young students will voice work at empowering their journalists internally against time their free opinion regarding topics such as diversity, ecolo- pressure and what are the technological responses they 17:30 - 19:30 Salle M are working towards? gy, and inequality. Live Magazine & Doctor Honoris Causa ULB & VUB With: Benedicte Autret, Denis Teyssou, Peter Smet, On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Live Mag- Exhibitions (Terarken 2 & 3) azine, a living, ephemeral newspaper. Instead of turning Moderator: Gian Paolo Accardo Karl Meersman Cartoons & Arab Cartoon Festival pages, enjoy the show : Authors, photographers, journalists 15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break and artists go on stage to tell the audience true stories. Rotonde: Martyrdom Cycle Sebastian Utzni These performances are neither recorded, nor broadcast; 15:30 - 17:00 Film City of Ghosts (WeKonekt) it’s all in the ‘here-and-now ‘. Fumoir: In Their Press Vests: A virtual reality experience on the daily work of Syrian journalists - UNESCO 15:30 - 17:00 Debate (Studio) F. Timmermans First Vice-President European Commission 13:30 - 15:00 Film City of Ghosts (WeKonekt) Voices of Resistance: The Information Heroes around the Globe Rudi Vranckx & Musicians from Mosul (VRT) A documentary that follows the efforts of “Raqqa Is Being Saif Al-Taie, Nabeel Atrakchi, Hakam Al-Zarari, Khalid Slaughtered Silently,” a handful of anonymous activists This session is a tribute to all information heroes around the Waleed, Mohammed Aladwany who banded together after their homeland was taken over globe, risking their life to ensure that citizens have access by ISIS in 2014. This is the story of a brave group of citizen to plural information, a fundamental pillar of functioning de- VUB and ULB jointly award honorary doctorate journalists as they face the realities of life undercover, on mocracies. The debate will highlight various dangers faced The ULB and the VUB will celebrate their common values, the run, and in exile, risking their lives to stand up against by journalists in performing their jobs and call attention to in particular those related to freedom of speech and one of the greatest evils in the world today. (Only by regis- the tools in place to help them voice their resistance. Tes- opinion, free thinking and the defense of human rights, by tration) timonies from the ground will be accompanied by a global jointly handing over the insignia of an Honorary Degree to commentary by a UNESCO expert, based on the findings of famous activists who have dedicated their lives to defend 13:30 - 15:00 Debate (Studio) the latest report on the World Trends in Freedom of Expres- these values. Silencing Critical Voices: Killing Me Softly sion and Media Development. Sihem Bensedrine: from Tunisia, ex journalist, human There are various ways to put pressure on the media and With: Andrew Caruana Galizia, Marius Lukosiunas, Yasmine rights defender who was imprisoned under the Ben Ali silence critical voices. Threats, imprisonment, even assas- Merei, Roman Dobrokhotov regime and who is now the President of the Truth and Dig- sination of journalists are the most tangible and reported nity Committee. She came back to Tunisia in 2011 after means. Yet, indirect forms of “soft” censorship are also very Moderator: Natalia Antelava several years of exile. effective. Discover how advertisers can influence the con- 15:30 - 17:00 Debate (Terarken 1) tent or editorial angle of a major news outlet. Learn how a Pierre Claver Mbonimpa: from Burundi, human rights newspaper may be silenced when it is sold to new inves- Stop, Look and Listen. How can we make the Voices of defender and a pioneer in the fight against torture. He has tors and, immediately afterwards, shut down. And let’s dis- Resistance Heard? been imprisoned several times in his country. Victim of an cuss strategies and means of resistance! The “voices of resistance” can be found throughout soci- assassination attempt in 2015, he now lives in . With: Françoise Tulkens, Andras Dési, Mary Fitzgerald, ety. Take the form of media outlets opposing dominant The VUB and the ULB are honoured to, together, symboli- Edouard Perrin socio-political discourses, of disenfranchised groups and cally reward the fight of these two personalities who have individuals seeking a voice, of truth seekers in a post-truth paid a heavy tribute to their struggle for the defense of Moderator: Scott Griffen era. How can we ensure that these voices are heard, and rights and freedoms, including their pursuit of justice for all, including the most marginalised. Speak Freely Listen Respectfully Different Opinions Matter