About

More than a festival, a movement towards an informed society

Press release October 2025
Voices isn't just another festival. It's a pioneering event to reshape our relationship with information. From tackling journalism's evolution in a rapidly shifting media landscape to empowering citizens with the tools to navigate these changes, we're steering the conversation toward a more informed future.
Imagine three days buzzing with hundreds of participants, 70+ speakers, curated sessions, interactive workshops, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. Voices is a vibrant gathering of minds. 
The next edition will take place on 10 - 12 March 2026 in Florence.
After the new Florence edition, Voices will tour two more European cities, bringing the conversation closer to local communities. 
Following the stunning setup of the first two editions (a repurposed train station in Florence and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb), Voices stays true to its roots by choosing venues where art meets the citizens.
Our next stage? Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
We want to create a meeting ground for journalists, media professionals, students, and curious people. We celebrate the pivotal roles journalists and informed citizens play in our societies while fostering critical thinking around disinformation.
And why Voices? A voice is an important opinion that someone expresses. Giving voice is also giving space to it, making it exist. In a way, this entails the role journalists play in society, it recalls to participation and representation. We have a plural name because we won’t provide a single view, nor journalism does, because the essence of the festival is bringing different people and audiences together. Last but not least, because this is the result of joint efforts.
Behind this festival stands a varied consortium of European organisations committed to enhance media freedom as an essential element for the functioning of our democratic societies.
These are the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (lead partner based at the European University Institute), the European Federation of Journalists, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the AISBL EBU-UER, the European Association for Viewers Interests, Lie Detectors, Savoir Devenir, and Deutsche Welle.
In addition, the Journalists' Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) is an affiliated partner of the project.
Voices is co-funded by the European Union.

The team

Alexiane Lerouge is a journalist at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Europe’s largest alliance of public service media. She heads the EBU’s networked newsroom, A European

Elena Coden is a Communications Assistant at the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) within the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute (EUI),

Marta Moreno is an administrative trainee at the Centre for a Digital Society and the Centre for Media Pluralism and Freedom at the European University Institute. She holds a BsC i

Giovanni Melogli is the Coordinator of the Voices. He is also promoter and spokesperson of the European Citizens’ Initiative for Media Pluralism, and President of the Interna

Mustafa Kuleli is a journalist, storyteller, and media advocate working where journalism, democracy, and visual narrative meet. He began his career in newsrooms as a reporter, edit

Iva Nenadić is an Assistant Professor at the European University Institute (Florence, Italy) and the Faculty of Media and Public Relations, University of Dubrovnik (Croatia), spec

Elda Brogi is the Deputy Director of CMPF and EUI Part-Time Professor. Member of EDMO, European Digital Media Observatory, and member of EDMO Executive Board. Elda Brogi’s main i

Giulia Giannasi is a Communications Officer in the Research Communications sector at the European University Institute. She is assigned to the Centre for Media Pluralism and Freedo

Irene Oddo is the Design Lead for the Voices project and a member of the Creative Team at the European University Institute. Her role focuses on shaping clear and engaging visual s

Paolo is the Founder and Director of the European Association for Viewers Interests, EAVI – the international organisation based in Brussels that has been working on media litera

Renate Schroeder is the Director of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), in 1993 she joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and since 2003 she has worked

Rebecca Bonello Ghio is the Projects and Policy Officer at the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). She has experience working in international organisations and NGOs, special

Paul Harrison is a Media Project Manager at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), focusing on media literacy, accessibility, and TV co-productions. He worked on various research r

Thomas Bergmann works as a Senior EU Policy Advisor at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In this role, he engages with EU institutions to ensure that the voice of public servi

Divina Frau-Meigs is a Professor of media and information and communications technology sociology at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, France. She holds several degrees from the S

Semih Solmaz graduated salutatorian from the Department of English Language and Literature at Bilkent University with a minor in analytic philosophy. He holds a master’s degree w

  Juliane created Lie Detectors and directs its strategy and development. She has advised governments, policy-makers and the EU on countering disinformation and polarisation,

Advisory Board

Voices is steered by leading experts in the fields of journalism, media literacy, media policy, fundamental rights, and media research.

Elda Brogi, Board’s Chair | European University Institute

Maja Cappello, European Audiovisual Observatory

Paolo Celot, European Association for Viewers Interests

Hélène Pillon, Sphera Network

Divina Frau-Meigs, Savoir Devenir

Wouter Gekiere, AISBL EBU-UER

Tom Gibson, Committee to Protect Journalists

Ricardo Gutiérrez, European Federation of Journalists

Andreas Lamm, European Centre for Press & Media Freedom

Patrick Leusch, Deutsche Welle

Pier Luigi Parcu, European University Institute

Emanuele Del Rosso, European Cartoon Award

Maria Luisa Stasi, Article 19

Nadia Vissers, European Journalism Training Association

Max von Abendroth, Media Development Investment Fund

Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, Lie Detectors

Voices is organised by