🎉Congrat to our long term partner #ZiaruldeGarda for winning the 2025 #EuropeanPressPrize! The undercover work of ZdG’s reporters allowed to uncover the unprecedented scale of pre elections interference of pro Russian politicians in 2024. We are proud of our collaboration with Ziarul de Garda!

Today I participate in the Olympics. Well, almost. The meeting of the Venice Club is taking place in the Zappione - a building constructed for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. My input will be on building the resilience of societies, including the media, as we do at @freepressunlimited.org

An important debate on the state of political prisoners in #Belarus facilitated by Dutch MFA in The Hague. As @freepressunlimited.org, we contributed by bringing courageous ex political prisoner and editor Olga Loiko and discussing the strength and resilience of Belarusian independent media.

At OHCHR side event at #WPFD2025 discussing, among others, how to empower smaller/local/responsible content creators and media in the context of AI and its role in the information integrity. With Irene Khan, Julia Haas, Anna Herold and Maria Luisa Stasi.

'The resilience of #journalism gives us hope' says Maryia Sadouskaya-Komlach. On #WorldTalks @tvpworld.bsky.social Maryia talks about what keeps independent journalism alive, even in the face of #disinformation, #censorship & growing political pressure. ➡️ ow.ly/r7EW50VMtGV #WPFD @maryias.bsky.social

A message on #WPFD2025 shared with @tvpworld.bsky.social today: The world should better protect journalists and press freedom, as w/out free media people won't be able to make informed choices influencing their lives and safety. If media lose, disinfo wins, but everyone else loses.

My short comment on the state of the Belarusian language in Belarus, aired just before today’s sham presidential elections. m.youtube.com/watch?v=2FSa...

To all Syrians I know: I hope this moment brings lasting and deserved positive change. Fingers crossed for a democratic Syria.

I don’t speak Georgian, but watching this live stream from what looks like middle of night protests in Tbilisi speaks without words: mtavari.tv/en/live?fbcl... Fingers crossed for Georgia.

Got a present from colleagues who believe this defines my role in the organisation (life?) better than official titles.

Our colleagues contributed a lot to this report - please, find a moment to read, if you’re interested in media in Poland.

Congrats to @rafal-trzaskowski.bsky.social with winning the party’s primaries to become the presidential nominee. 🤍❤️

This “russian” shop in the middle of Zagreb sells Ukrainian pastry, Georgian mineral water, Belarusian cosmetics (“last items bought before sanctions”) and lots of Germany-made pickled and canned foods. That’s how they see Russia, I guess. Or its aspirations.

⚠️ Free Press Unlimited deletes X account: conflicts with core values. We will delete our account on the messaging platform X (formerly Twitter) as of December 1.

While a speedy railway between Warsaw and Vilnius is something to dream of, and probably not in our generation’s lifetime, finishing roadworks in two places makes it possible to travel for just 5 hours - or 6 with stops. In #lithuania for the next 3 days. Sky as blue as can be locally.

Finally.

Nie zawsze będziemy się zgadzać, ale zawsze powinniśmy się szanować. Dziś Międzynarodowy Dzień Tolerancji, ustanowiony przez Zgromadzenie Ogólne ONZ rezolucją 51/95 z grudnia 95’r. z inicjatywy UNESCO.To święto szacunku, akceptacji i różnorodności kultur na całym świecie.

A worthwhile weekend read:

More on how, when we look at military rules of engagement, we can see how the information battlefield civilians find themselves on is appalling bad And it doesn’t need to be, but now everyone thinks this is how they get power www.greatpower.us/p/rules-of-e...

For those who may have missed it: Polish prime minister @donald-tusk.bsky.social has joined Bluesky (confirmed on the Letter platform). Wouldn’t expect too much revelations but wld expect the influx of other Polish politicians pretty soon. Maybe it’s since sky is so grey in Poland in November…

My recent piece on how generations of Ukrainian artists have saved each other from oblivion, including reflections on the brilliant @royalacademy.bsky.social exhibition on Ukrainian modernism. Thanks @kyivindependent.com @katetsurkan.bsky.social for publishing. kyivindependent.com/opinion-ukra...

Harry Potter and the Borderlands of Terror | "Daily life in Ukraine involves uncertainty and its suppression. And teaching kids to manage in a world of danger and evil." Francis Harris

Funding available available for reporting which explores life in Central and Eastern Europe. Details below, deadline 15 January 2025.

in my new essay for Russian Colonialism 101 newsletter I share 5 stories that help me stay hopeful. 5 stories of 5 people who come from different cultures and distant lands, and they do not share a religion, ancestry, or skin color. but what do they share? maksymeristavi.substack.com/p/russian-co...

My starter pack of media development and press freedom non-profits and networks with international portfolios. Many are still missing on Bluesky, so expect the pack to be growing. go.bsky.app/UYQ9ddx

Useful tips from alma mater… can’t say I agree with all but there is always a nuance in how autocracies operate and it’d be a mistake to think that all their features demonstrate at once.

The first Belarus-related starter pack on Bluesky is out. Please, suggest names to add go.bsky.app/26dYZ3d

Hello, world_