IPI to Hold 60th Anniversary World Congress in Vienna and Bratislava

Vienna (ots) - The International Press Institute (IPI) will hold
its annual World Congress in Vienna, Austria, and Bratislava,
Slovakia, from 11-14 September 2010, the organisation today
officially announced.

The 2010 World Congress will mark the 60th anniversary of the
founding of IPI, and the organisation will celebrate 60 years of
defending press freedom in a series of events, culminating in the
World Congress in the "twin cities" of Vienna and Bratislava. Under
the overall theme, "Thinking the Unthinkable: Are We Losing the News?
(Media Freedom in the New Media Landscape)," the three-day conference
will focus attention on the state of the news media itself, providing
new business models and solutions for the media, and the unique
opportunity to meet and interact with major players from both
traditional and new media outlets.

The Congress will also look at the new ways of delivering
information and how new technologies are proving to be a powerful
ally of freedom of opinion and expression.

"The new information platforms are having an enormous impact not
only on mainstream journalism, but also on press freedom in countries
where authoritarian regimes seek to curtail freedom of opinion and
expression," said IPI Director David Dadge.

At a special Gala Dinner and Ceremony, to be held at Vienna City
Hall, IPI will honour "60 World Press Freedom Heroes" to commemorate
the 60 years of its existence. IPI's Press Freedom Heroes are
individuals who have made a significant contribution to the defence
and promotion of press freedom, especially - but not only - if this
involved acts of resistance or bravery under hardship conditions. "We
will pay tribute to these brave men and women, who displayed the
utmost courage in defending press freedom in their country or
region," said Dadge. "Many of them paid the ultimate price, murdered
for what they wrote or said." IPI intends to invite all surviving
Heroes to the ceremony in Vienna.

For the first time, IPI will also hold - parallel to the Congress
- a "New Media & High-Tech Innovations Exhibition", showcasing the
latest in new media technologies and information platforms.

The Congress programme features a roster of world-class speakers,
including Alex Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and director
of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at
Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government; Jeff Howe,
contributing editor at Wired Magazine and author of the best-selling
book, "Crowdsourcing"; Jim VandeHei, co-founder and executive editor
of the influential Politico website; Martin Figueiredo, publisher and
editor-in-chief of i Daily in Portugal; Guy Black, executive director
of the Telegraph Media Group in the United Kingdom; Alexandra
Föderl-Schmid, editor-in-chief of Der Standard in Austria; Sarah
Montague, presenter, BBC, London, and many more. The event is
expected to draw over 400 participants and their guests from around
the world.

Confirmed partners for the Congress are: Google; OMV; Samsung;
Telekom Austria Group; City of Vienna; Twin City Liner; and Austrian
Airlines, as official carrier.

IPI's media partners for the Congress are: ORF; Der Standard &
APA.

Originaltext: International Press Institute
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For more information, please contact:
Michael Kudlak
Conference and Events Manager, International Press Institute (IPI)
Tel: + 431-512 90 11
E-mail: mkudlak@freemedia.at
Web: www.freemedia.at