MEDIA ADVISORY

21st OSCE Central Asia Media Conference on ‘Media freedom and pluralism in times of digital transformation’ to be held in Bishkek on 17 and 18 July

VIENNA, 11 July 2019 – The 21st annual OSCE Central Asia Media Conference, focusing on media freedom and pluralism in times of digital transformation, will be held in Bishkek on 17-18 July 2019.

During the two-day event, over 100 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia, representing the public authorities, media, journalists’ associations, civil society and academia, as well as several international experts will discuss a wide range of issues under the broad topic of possibilities and challenges arising in the context of new media technologies. This will include  conditions for establishing an open and secure internet nationally and throughout the OSCE region, media for minorities and self-regulation. Participants will also discuss the most recent media freedom developments across the region.

The conference will be opened by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, together with the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Ambassador Pierre von Arx, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Chingiz Aidarbekov (TBC) and the Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Kyrgyz Republic, Azamat Zhamankulov.

The main sessions, on the impact of digital development on media pluralism and online regulation, will be complemented by two workings groups that will focus on minority media in Central Asia, in particular on tackling the problem of hate speech and on self-regulation for online media as a tool for the promotion of ethical standards in the digital environment. Furthermore, the conference will include two side-events, in which participants will discuss the latest regional trends in the freedom of the media and the Charter of Rome project concerning reporting on immigration and asylum-seekers.

The working languages of the conference will be English and Russian with simultaneous interpretation.

Journalists covering the conference will have an opportunity to meet the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, at the press pool that will be held at 11:45 am on 17 July.

Journalists wishing to attend and report on the conference are required to send an e-mail to register their participation to Alexandru Zamșa of the OSCE Communication and Media Relations Section, at [email protected] no later than 15 July. The presentation of a valid ID is required for accreditation at the venue.

Please send all requests for interviews during the event to Elena Cherniavska, Senior Adviser, at [email protected] or call +43 676 424 1502.

A detailed agenda in English and Russian can be accessed here. Biographies of speakers as well as other documents related to the conference will be uploaded later.

Contacts: