91�鶹������Ʒ����

Director-General of UNESCO since 2017, Audrey Azoulay launched a vast Strategic Transformation programme for the Organization with a view to position UNESCO at the heart of emerging challenges in the XXI century. In this spirit, the Director-General launched several major projects on the protection of cultural heritage, through the initiative “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” in Iraq, on the achievement of universal quality education, in particular for girls and women, as well as on UNESCO's role as a global laboratory of ideas on issues such as sustainable development and the ethics of artificial intelligence. A former student of the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Audrey Azoulay is a graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris and holds a Diploma of Business Administration from the University of Lancaster (United Kingdom). Active in the cultural sector from the outset of her career, she worked, among other things, on the financing of the French public audiovisual sector and on the reform and modernisation of the French public aid systems for the film industry. As the French Minister of Culture, she was very strongly committed to the protection of endangered heritage, particularly in the Middle East. She was also dedicated to the facilitation of children’s access to culture by launching artistic and cultural education programmes (the "Création en cours" programmes and innovative cultural infrastructures "Microfolies"). Audrey Azoulay is committed to positioning UNESCO as a platform for humanist cooperation, as a standards-producing arena and as an agency of experts that helps to disseminate knowledge and know-how throughout the world to the greatest number of people.

Gabriel Boric was born in Punta Arenas on February 11, 1986. He pursued his higher education at the Law School of the University of Chile, graduating in 2009.

In 2008, he was elected as Councilor of the University of Chile Student Federation (FECh), marking the beginning of his political career. He later served as a University Senator and was elected President of the Federation in 2011.

In 2013, Boric was elected as a deputy for the period 2014-2018, during which he actively participated in various Permanent Commissions, including those on Human Rights and Native Peoples, Extreme Zones and Chilean Antarctica and Labor and Social Security. Re-elected as a deputy in 2017 for the period 2018-2022, he continued his legislative work in commissions focusing on Constitution, Legislation, Justice, and Regulation, as well as Extreme Zones and Chilean Antarctica.

In 2021, Boric achieved a significant milestone by being elected as the President of the Republic of Chile for the period 2022-2026, making history as the youngest President in the country's history.

Gael García Bernal is an internationally recognized actor, director and producer. He began his career acting in theater productions with his parents and then moved to London, where he studied at the Central School for Speech and Drama. Gael has left an indelible mark on the film industry with his performance in films such as "Amores Perros", "Babel", "Y tú mamá también", "El Crimen del Padre Amaro", "Diarios de Motocicleta" and "Coco". He has also demonstrated his versatility in the world of series, standing out in "Mozart in the Jungle" and "Station Eleven", among others. Gael has also ventured into directing, in feature films such as "Déficit" and "Chicuarotes", as well as short documentaries such as "Los invisibles". He is co-founder and director of the Ambulante festival, a non-profit event that promotes documentary filmmaking in Mexico and abroad. His passion for telling stories and fostering social awareness through film led him to open, in 2018, La Corriente del Golfo, a leading production house dedicated to the creation of film projects, series and podcasts alongside his colleague Diego Luna.

Michelle Bachelet was born in Santiago de Chile and has led a life dedicated to public service. She studied medicine at the University of Chile, and after the coup d'état she was imprisoned. She later went into exile in Germany. Upon her return to Chile, she worked as a consultant for the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation. She was later appointed Minister of Health (2000) and then Minister of National Defense (2002) by President Lagos. Her career culminated with her historic election as the first woman President of Chile in 2006, a position she held until 2010. In 2010 she broke new ground as Director of UN Women, advocating for women's rights around the world. Returning to Chile, she was elected to a second presidential term from 2014 to 2018, continuing to provide progressive leadership. In 2018, she founded Horizonte Ciudadano, fostering dialogue and initiatives in favor of the environment, women, children and youth. Bachelet was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2018, which she left in 2022. Bachelet's career epitomizes her unwavering commitment to public service and the defense of human rights.

As an investigative journalist, trainer, and writer, Alyaa Abo Shahba has contributed to numerous newspapers and websites, including Rosal Youssef, El Watan, Masrawy, Nature Middle East, and the Arabic edition of Scientific American magazine. She has been honored with several prestigious journalistic awards, including The World Health Summit Award from the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an award from Africa21 for outstanding journalistic coverage on biodiversity, and the "Cairo Climate Talks Forum Award" from the German Embassy in Cairo in October 2023. Furthermore, she has provided several training courses since 2015 at the Syndicate of Journalists, Wan-Ifra, and the DW Training Academy. In addition to her journalistic endeavors, Alyaa Abo Shahba is the author of the book "Death by Stigma," which delves into the behind-the-scenes events of one of her investigative reports and shares humane stories of people living with HIV in Egypt.

Andrea Ixchíu, a Maya K'iche woman from Totonicapán, Guatemala, is a journalist, land protector, human rights activist, and self-professed geek. Over fifteen years, she has dedicated herself to community communication processes aimed at safeguarding the lives and territories of indigenous peoples. Co-founder of initiatives such as Hackeo Cultural, Futuros Indígenas, and Festivales Solidarios, she actively participates in collective spaces. As a cultural manager, producer, and audiovisual director, she contributes to the promotion of indigenous culture. Currently, she serves as a consultant at Culture Hack Labs, an international nonprofit consultancy supporting organizations, social movements, and activists in crafting narratives for systems change. Andrea Ixchíu has been recognized as a Nobel Women’s Initiative Fellow, Ford Global Fellow, and Bertha Foundation Fellow. She was awarded the Sakharov Prize Fellowship for her steadfast defense of human rights and freedom of expression.

Antonio Diaz Aranda is a passionate advocate for climate action and change. He served as Mexico's lead negotiator at COP27, SB 58 and COP28, showcasing his commitment to advancing the climate agenda. Antonio's leadership extends to his role as Partnership Coordinator of the UNESCO Youth Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) Steering Committee, where he amplifies youth voices through climate advocacy and impactful youth-led initiatives. His involvement with SDSN Youth, Global Shapers Aguascalientes HUB, and the Climate Reality Project underscores his global engagement. Antonio has represented youth perspectives at prestigious events like the 13th UNESCO 91�鶹������Ʒ���� and ECOSOC 91�鶹������Ʒ����. He is a vocal supporter of green education, contributing as a moderator at the Greening Education Partnership (GEP) Annual Meeting and as reviewer for the 2023 UNESCO Global report on the impact of climate displacement on the right to education. Antonio's multifaceted contributions highlight the vital role of youth leadership in driving climate action and sustainability.

Alberto Van Klaveren graduated in Legal Sciences from the University of Chile, holds a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Denver, and obtained a doctorate in Political Science from Leiden University. He served in the Chilean Foreign Ministry from 1992 to 2019, holding positions such as advisor to the General Directorate of Foreign Policy, Planning Director, Ambassador of Chile to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs during President Bachelet's administration (2006-2009), and Agent of the State of Chile before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. On the academic front, he is a Professor at the Institute of International Studies and the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile. Additionally, he has served as deputy director of the Institute of European-Latin American Relations (IRELA), academic director of the Association for Research and Specialization on Ibero-American Issues (AIETI), and Professor at the Ortega y Gasset University Institute of Madrid, Spain. In March 2023, he assumed the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs under the government of President Gabriel Boric.

Camila Vallejo has had an extensive political career, starting as president of the University of Chile Student Federation and principal spokesperson for the Confederation of Chilean Students. In 2013, she was elected as a member of the National Congress and re-elected in 2017. In 2022, she was appointed Minister Secretary General of Government during the term of President Gabriel Boric. She has promoted, among other issues, an agenda to address the phenomenon of misinformation and its effect on democracy, through the first Advisory Commission Against Disinformation in Chile. Throughout her career, she has been a staunch advocate for the right to education, women's rights, the end of gender-based violence, and workers' rights. In this regard, while she was a member of Congress, she introduced a bill to reduce the workweek from 44 to 40 hours. The measure was approved by the National Congress and became law during President Boric's administration starting this year.

Fredrick Mugira has dedicated 18 years to reporting on water conservation, wildlife, and climate change across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the US. As the founder of Water Journalists Africa, his work unites writers across 50 African countries, bringing corroboration and cohesion to the continent's water issues. His network runs InfoNile, a GeoJournalism cross-border project; Nilewell, a platform that brings together journalists and scientists; and the Apes Reporting Project dedicated to conserving the great apes in Africa through journalism. In addition, Frederick works as an editor with Uganda's leading multimedia house, Vision Group.

Throughout 2022, Frederick dedicated himself to investigating the ramifications of plastic pollution on rivers, notably focusing on the Nile, the longest river globally, and lakes within Uganda and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. One notable revelation from his project unveiled the River Nile's role as a conduit for plastic waste, transporting it from the African Great Lakes region to the Mediterranean Sea.

Former Managing Director of Al Jazeera English, Giles Trendle has extensive experience in the journalism industry as a media executive, documentary filmmaker and frontline reporter in the Middle East. He currently co-chairs the steering committee of Covering Climate Now, an international alliance of media outlets working together to boost climate coverage. He is also a member of Climate Change Coaches, a team of certified coaches accelerating the green transition through the power of coaching. Giles regularly writes and lectures on topics including the critical role of journalism; the safety and protection of journalists; and how media freedom is an essential climate solution. He is deeply committed to quality journalism that informs, engages and empowers audiences.

Giovanni Salvi is a retired Prosecutor General of the Supreme Court of Cassation who served on the Presidential Committee of the High Council of the Judiciary from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2019 to 2022. As Prosecutor General of Rome from 2015 to 2019, he supervised Intelligence Agencies. In his role as Chief Prosecutor of Catania from 2011 to 2015, he led major investigations against mafia groups, notably Cosa Nostra, and prosecuted human traffickers, prioritizing immigrant safety and earning praise from the UN and European Forum. He has extensive experience in combating international terrorism and criminal organizations, including Cosa Nostra and Camorra, during his membership in the Antimafia Directorate from 1992 to 2002 and the Antiterrorism pool from 1984 to 2002 in Rome. Notably, he successfully prosecuted high-ranking officials of the Chilean Secret Service for murders in Rome, Washington, and Buenos Aires. Prior to his prosecutorial roles, he served as a judge in Monza from 1980 to 1984.

Irene Khan achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first woman appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression. Her tenure as Secretary General of Amnesty International from 2001 to 2009 showcased her dedication to human rights advocacy. Following this, she assumed the role of Director General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) from 2012 to 2019, further solidifying her commitment to global justice. Recognized internationally for her advocacy in areas such as human rights, gender equality, and social justice, Irene Khan continues to make invaluable contributions to these causes. Presently, she holds the position of Distinguished Fellow at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

Jennifer Robinson is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers specializing in international law, human rights, and media law. She has represented notable clients such as Julian Assange and Amber Heard in pivotal human rights cases spanning domestic, regional, and international courts. Presently, she serves as legal counsel for Vanuatu in the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion proceedings regarding states' obligations concerning climate change. Additionally, her collaborative work with Dr. Keina Yoshida on "Silenced Women" illuminates how the legal system is weaponized to suppress women's voices, particularly when recounting experiences of gender-based violence.

Born in Chile, Leonor Varela experienced a nomadic childhood due to family displacement caused by political unrest. Settling in Paris, France, she immersed herself in the arts, studying dance and modelling alongside academic pursuits. After completing her baccalaureate, she pursued studies in History at the University Paris VII and trained at the Niels Arestrup School of Theater. Admitted to the Paris Conservatory of Theater, she began a career as an actress, working in French, Spanish, and English productions, including Hollywood films and independent projects. In 1999, she returned to the United States to promote the miniseries "Cleopatra." Following the birth of her son Matteo, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, she authored "Ir al Cielo y Volver" (Go to Heaven and Return), detailing their journey of resilience and loss. Currently residing in Los Angeles, California, she continues to pursue acting and writing alongside her husband Lucas and daughter Luna Mae.

Maksuda Aziz is a notable Bangladeshi environmental journalist who focuses on the financial implications of climate change. Her groundbreaking research on the effects of climate change on the banking industry in Bangladesh has exposed the vulnerabilities and difficulties that financial institutions encounter. Aziz is committed to investigating the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities, focusing on pregnant women in coastal regions affected by salinity-induced debt and the exploitation of vulnerable populations in climate change-related sex work. Aziz has drawn attention to the unequal burden of funding climate mitigation efforts placed on low-emission nations like Bangladesh. Aziz received the DW Eco Frontlines Journalism Award for her outstanding work in climate change reporting, establishing her as a major player in environmental journalism.

Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist for more than 37 years. She co founded Rappler, a digital only news site that is well known for its advocacy on press freedom in the Philippines.In 2021 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing her "efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."Her  work on disinformation and 'fake news,' had given her recognition as  Time Magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, was among its 100 Most Influential People of 2019, and has also been named one of Time's Most Influential Women of the Century. She was also part of the BBC's 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2019 and Prospect magazine's world's top 50 thinkers. In 2020, she received the Journalist of the Year award, the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award, the Most Resilient Journalist Award, the Tucholsky Prize, the Truth to Power Award, and the Four Freedoms Award. In 2021, UNESCO awarded her the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Maria wrote Seeds of Terror: An Eyewitness Account of al-Qaeda’s Newest Center of Operations in Southeast Asia and From Bin Laden to Facebook: 10 Days of Abduction, 10 Years of Terrorism, and How to Stand up to a Dictator.

Minna-Liina Lind was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister for Global Affairs in the Estonian Foreign Ministry in July 2023. Prior to assuming this position, she was Estonia’s first human rights ambassador from 2020 to 2023. Minna joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2004. She has worked on UN topics both in the Political Department of the ministry as well as at Estonia’s mission to the UN. As the deputy permanent representative in New York, she was in charge of Estonia’s campaign for UN Security Council membership between 2014 and 2018. From 2010 to 2014, she worked as Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She graduated from the University of Tartu School of Law and holds a Master’s degree in International and European Union Law from Heidelberg University. She is also a graduate of the Estonian School of Diplomacy.

Mónica González Mujica is a teacher and member of the Board of the Gabo Foundation and serves as co-responsible for the Ethics Clinic. She worked at the El Siglo newspaper until the Chilean coup d'état in 1973. Following exile in France in 1978, she returned to Chile and contributed to opposition magazines during the dictatorship, including "Cauce" and "Análisis". She faced imprisonment twice for reporting on crimes and corruption. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, she held roles in and directed media outlets until founding and leading the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIPER) of Chile in 2007. Additionally, she engaged in television reporting and interviews and served as the Readers' Advocate for the El Faro newspaper in El Salvador. Among her accolades are the María Moors Cabot Award (2001), the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize (2010), the National Journalism Award of Chile (2019), and the Ortega y Gasset Award (2020), among others. She is the author of several books, including "Bomba en una calle de Palermo" (1986), "La Conjura" (2000), and "Apuntes de una época feroz" (2015)

Paloma Ávilla Barrera is a journalist with extensive experience in various realms such as audiovisual production, television, content development, strategic communication, and scientific outreach. Holding roles like commercial director at Nueva Imagen and director of project development, she has spearheaded teams and overseen audiovisual projects for TV from inception to broadcasting, contributing significantly to creative processes, scripting, budgeting, sales, and production. Notable credits include executive production for films like "Balmaceda" and "Portales," documentary series including "Great Chileans" featuring episodes on Gabriela Mistral and Manuel Rodríguez, and children's series like "Cantando Aprendo a Hablar" and "Locos Lab." Presently serving as the Director of the Future division at CNN Chile, she manages programs like "Futuro 360," "Divergentes," and "Minería 360," demonstrating a keen interest in fostering innovative and collaborative work models in original content creation that align with her vision of an ideal world. 

Ricardo Pael Ardenghi is a Federal Prosecutor in Brazil, presently occupying the role of Chief within the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Mato Grosso. Additionally, he assumes the responsibility of advocating for the rights of indigenous peoples and traditional communities. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Ardenghi was an integral part of the Avá Guarani Task Force and was entrusted with the investigation of crimes perpetrated against indigenous communities. In 2020, he authored a comprehensive study delineating the adverse effects of organized crime on indigenous populations in Brazil under the auspices of the EL PACCTO Program. In 2023, upon invitation by FIIAP, he served as an instructor to the Multidisciplinary Team, which specialized in the investigation of homicides targeting indigenous leaders and environmental defenders in Peru. Currently, he is working on the case of the murder of the indigenist Bruno Pereira and journalist Dom Philip, as a member of the Support Group for the Jury Court of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office.

Saba Kidane Heritage was born in Ethiopia and moved to Eritrea in 1992, when Eritrea became an independent East African nation. She completed undergraduate studies at University of Asmara and Addis Ababa University. In 2002, she went abroad to pursue graduate studies. Dr. Kidane Heritage received her Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in 2020. Previously, she earned M.A. degrees in African Area Studies from UCLA, and in Peace and Justice Studies at University of San Diego. In 2018 Dr. Kidane Heritage co-founded a pioneer broadcasting network, ERISAT-Eritrean Satellite Television. This organization broadcasts news in local languages to Eritrea, and to Eritreans living overseas in other countries. ERISAT’s mission is to inform, engage, and empower the Eritrean public through independent news, analysis, and entertainment. Dr. Kidane Heritage currently teaches political science and ethnic studies at California State University, Los Angeles and at East Los Angeles College.

Sebastião Salgado, an economist by training, transitioned to photography in 1973, starting his journey in Paris with agencies like Sygma, Gamma, and Magnum Photos. His photographic odyssey spans over 100 countries, yielding numerous publications and exhibitions, curated by Lélia, including notable works like "Sahel, l'homme en détresse", "Other Americas", and "Genesis". Salgado's accolades include membership in the Académie des Beaux-Arts de France, the Legion of Honor, and an honorary doctorate from Harvard University. He's been honored with the Primo Levi Prize, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, and the Praemium Imperiale Prize. Alongside his partner, Lélia Wanick Salgado, he established his own platform. In 1998, the couple founded Instituto Terra, dedicated to reforestation and sustainable development in Brazil's Rio Doce valley. Their recent endeavor focuses on the Amazon rainforest and its indigenous communities, advocating for its preservation and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Justice Suntariya Muanpawong is currently the Justice of the Appeal Court Region 2 in Thailand. Before becoming a judge, she worked as a lawyer, a teacher in a Southeast Asian refugee camp, and a legal officer in the Harbor Department. She has long advocated for people-oriented justice reform through her various roles, conducting research on child rights protection, gender justice, prisoner rights, and environmental jurisprudence. Additionally, Justice Muanpawong has played significant roles in drafting environmental laws and promoting citizen participation in the justice system. Her international engagement includes collaborations with ASEAN and participation in conferences and training programs on environmental justice worldwide. Her recent work focuses on developing judicial tools and publications on writing good judgments and ensuring objectivity in judicial decisions.

Dr. Tawfik Jelassi has been Assistant Director-General at UNESCO, in charge of Communication and Information since 2021. In this capacity, he oversees UNESCO’s initiatives aimed at promoting freedom of expression, leading digital transformation, strategizing the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education, and fostering inclusive knowledge-based societies.

Dr. Jelassi holds a Ph.D. degree from New York University, along with postgraduate diplomas from the University of Paris Dauphine. His career includes serving as the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Information & Communication Technologies in Tunisia. Additionally, he has held positions as Dean and Professor at leading educational institutions such as IMD (Lausanne), INSEAD (Fontainebleau) and Ecole des Ponts (Paris). He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of a leading telecom operator.

Aleida Calleja Gutiérrez is a Mexican journalist and researcher. She is the General Director of the Mexican Institute of Radio (IMER), an organization that brings together all public radios in Mexico at the federal level.

Andrea Obaid is a Chilean journalist. She graduated in Social Communication from the Diego Portales University, Chile (2000) and holds a master's degree in Science, Medical and Environmental Communication from Pompeu Fabra University, Spain (2006). Obaid is the director and founding partner of Neurona Group and Producciones Andrea Obaid EIRL production companies, president of the Chilean Association of Journalists and Professionals for Science Communication, ACHIPEC, and winner of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication, awarded by the United States Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (2023).

Obaid is currently host of the radio program “Tu Nuevo ADN”, on Prisa Media's ADN radio, and of the television series “Kitchen Lab, eating has its Science” on NTV of Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) and “Chilenautas” on Amazon Prime Video. She is additionally the author of the book “Kitchen Lab, eating has its science” with Alejandro Roth with Planeta publishing house and the author of the books “Technoscience: 30 Science Tourism Routes in Chile”, Part I and II.

Dr Anurag Deep is an educational researcher currently Associate Project Office at UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, in New Delhi, India. He received his PhD in Educational Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and a master’s in environmental studies from the University of Delhi. He has designed, developed, and deployed training courses on the theme of Media Literacy and Education for Sustainable Development at UNESCO MGIEP.

Awo Aidam Amenyah, a leading advocate in child online protection and policy formulation, boasts a robust background in grassroots engagement. Notable achievements include spearheading the draft Ghana Gender Education Policy and organizing successful campaigns for alternative classroom management like the Positive Discipline Pack. With expertise in advocacy, non-profit management, and community mobilization, she has significantly influenced education policy and efforts to combat gender-based violence. Since 2013, Awo has been a prominent voice for online child safety, demonstrating a deep understanding of Child Protection Implementation Standards. As Executive Director of Child Online Africa, she leads initiatives promoting digital literacy and youth safety, annually convening Safer Internet Day celebrations since 2014.

Bia Barbosa coordinates the advocacy strategy and operations of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Latin America. Based in Rio, the office covers 20 countries in Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean islands. With a strong background in internet governance and freedom of expression, Bia is also one of the civil society representatives of the Brazilian Internet Committee where she brings her unique human rights perspective.
 

Blanca Lilia Ibarra Cadena is a communicator, journalist and promoter of the development and respect for women's human rights. She has held several management positions in the media sector, including Director of the Mexican State Congress Television Channel and Director of Information to Media State of the Office of the President of Mexico. She has chaired the guarantors institutions of transparency, right of access to information and the personal data protection, municipal and state level. In 2018, the Senate of the Mexican Republic elected her as Commissioner of the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI). From December 2020 to December 2023, she was the Chairwomen of INAI and the National Council of the National Transparency System. She currently holds the position of Commissioner of the Institute.

Bram Ebus is a freelance journalist, investigator, and photographer from the Netherlands based in Bogotá, Colombia. He holds a master's degree in global criminology and has done research for think tanks and NGOs. Ebus has ample field experience in Latin America and has a strong focus on socio-environmental conflicts and crime

Dr. Brett Robertson is an assistant professor in the College of Information and Communications at The University of South Carolina. He studies communication technology use in organizational, risk, and mass communication contexts. His research projects explore how individuals use social media and mobile devices in the workplace and disaster-related contexts. Much of his recent focus has been on disaster preparedness and prevention communication, and the US National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have funded his research projects on climate change and excessive heat.

Over the last five years, Camille Grenier has led the establishment and development of the Forum on Information and Democracy, the implementing organization of the International Partnership for Information and Democracy endorsed by 52 countries across the world. In his different positions, Camille has overseen the development and publication of the organization's policy reports covering disinformation, media sustainability, accountability, pluralism and AI. In 2021, he coordinated the prefiguration process of the Observatory on Information and Democracy chaired by Shoshana Zuboff and Angel Gurria. As Operations director of the organization, Camille also plays a key role in the engagement with signatory States of the Partnership for Information and Democracy and the organization of its annual Summits. 

Carlos Jornet is the Editorial Director of La Voz del Interior in Argentina and the president of the Press Freedom and Information Committee of the SIP. He previously served as the president of the Association of Argentine Journalistic Entities (ADEPA). Jornet is a lawyer and holds a degree in Information Sciences. He is also the author of the book "Journalistic Management.

Carsten von Nahmen is the Director General of DW Akademie. Carsten von Nahmenhas been DW Akademie’s Managing Director since 2018. He studied Journalism and History in Dortmund and joined Deutsche Welle in 1992 as a trainee. Afterwards, he worked as a freelance reporter and political correspondent for DW and other media. In 2004, he joined DW Akademie, where he was responsible for media developmentin various regions before returning to Deutsche Welle as Head of News and Deputy Editorin Chief in 2014, and as senior correspondent in Washington in 2017.

Constance Nalegach is a Lawyer and Master in Public Law from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and Master in Human Rights from the University of La Plata. She was the driving force and negotiator of the Escazú Agreement and served as Chile's representative at United Nations forums, such as the Climate Change Convention and the OECD. She has also been Chief of Staff at the Ministry of National Assets and Environment. Nalegach has worked as a consultant for international organizations and teaches environmental international law. Currently, she is the head of the Office of International Affairs for the Environment and represents Chile in multilateral instances, including being the focal point for the Escazú Agreement.

Cristina Zahar joined CPJ in 2023 to lead the Latin America program. She is an experienced journalist and manager, previously serving as the executive director of the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji). Zahar began her career at the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper in Brazil.

David Barrio Lamarche is Legal Officer at ECLAC’s Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division. A member of the Secretariat of the Escazú Agreement, Mr. Barrio Lamarche is a lawyer and holder of a master's degree in law (LL.M.), political science and international relations, who has studied at universities in Belgium, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom. Formerly with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, he has worked as a lawyer in several firms.

Diana Salinas is the Director of Cuestión Pública, a media outlet that has won the King of Spain Journalism Award.

Dima Khatib is the managing director of AJ+ channels. She directs the award-winning AJ+ digital channels in English, Arabic, Spanish and French. She served as the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Latin America for nearly a decade and is the first female executive of the media network. Dima made her journalist career reporting from over 30 countries, interviewing presidents and people from all walks of life. Under her leadership, AJ+ has amassed over 55 million followers, tens of billions of views and won prestigious international awards. Dima is a polyglot and is currently learning her tenth language. She has one published book in Arabic: Love Refugee.

Eduardo Sepúlveda is the President of the National Press Association of Chile (ANP), Director of the digital media outlet El Libero, a columnist for El Mercurio, and a university professor.

Elise Loncón holds a degree in English Pedagogy from the Universidad de La Frontera, Chile, amaster's degree in Linguistics from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, IztapalapaUAM-I Mexico, a doctorate in Humanities from the University of Leiden, Holland, and adoctorate in Literature from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. In 2021, shereceived the René Cassin International Human Rights Award. In addition, she served aspresident of the Constitutional Convention. She is currently an academic at the Departmentof Education of the University of Santiago de Chile, and a researcher at the Center for Indigenous and Intercultural Studies of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Emiko Sepúlveda serves as the LCOY Chile Coordinator. Holding a degree in Natural Resources Engineering and specializing as a public policy consultant in climate change, she has contributed significantly to civil society, public institutions, and international organizations. Her endeavors have notably included advocating for adaptation policies and fostering citizen engagement processes. During her student years, she led her delegation's participation in the Latin American Network of Natural Resources and Environment Students (RELERNYMA). Presently, she holds the role of National Coordinator for LCOY Chile and stands as the sole Chilean representative selected for the International Young Climate Delegates Program (IYCDP) at COP28.

Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo is the President of Henneo, a media group that includes 20 minutos and Heraldo de Aragón (Zaragoza, Spain). He is Vice President of the Spanish Association of Media Information (AMI) and was elected President of WAN-IFRA in June 2019

Francisco Vera, a teenager from Colombia, is a passionate advocate for human rights, particularly the right to a healthy, clean, and dignified environment. He is the visionary behind the Ecoesperanza concept and has been actively involved in various initiatives to address the climate crisis. As one of twelve child advisors who provided recommendations to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the General Comment No.26 steering group, Francisco has played a crucial role in shaping policies related to climate justice. In 2020, he founded the Guardians for Life Movement, a platform empowering young people to advocate for climate justice. Since 2021, he has been actively engaged in COP discussions, and in the 2023 edition, he contributed to the development of the document "Guardians for Life and Peace: Human Rights, Environment, and Education." This document proposes the creation and dissemination of digital tools aimed at providing comprehensive education on human rights and climate change for students in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Gaygysyz Geldiyev is a seasoned media developer and executive with over a decade of experience committed to advancing independent and sustainable media in emerging democracies. With a proven track record of successfully executing more than 50 projects, Gaygysyz has significantly contributed to the growth of media initiatives. His expertise spans across various platforms, including television, digital media, and multimedia ventures, showcasing adaptability in the ever-evolving media landscape. As a co-founder of groundbreaking digital native outlets like the Kyiv Independent and Dron Media, Gaygysyz has played a pivotal role in setting the standard for exemplary journalism within their respective niches. In his role as Senior Advisor for Ukraine at NewsGuard, Gaygysyz utilizes his extensive experience to enhance media standards and integrity in the country. Previously, he held key positions such as executive producer at Hromadske TV and general producer at ZIK media holding company. Additionally, as a Managing Partner at Jnomics Media, a London-based consulting firm, Gaygysyz provides strategic guidance to clients across Central and Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia, specializing in audience engagement, strategy development, organizational transformation, and business development.

Guilherme Canela holds the position of chief of the section of Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. For 8 years, he held the position of Communication and Information Regional Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNESCO Montevideo Office. During those years, he performed as Regional Coordinator of the UNESCO Initiative for the Promotion of Democracy and Freedom of Expression in judicial systems in Latin America. He was also the Secretary of the Regional Committee of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, and focal point of the Organization for issues related to the safety of journalists. He has a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Brasília (UNB) and a Master’s Degree on Political Science from the University of São Paulo (USP). For 8 years (2000-2008), Guilherme coordinated the media and journalism research area of the News Agency for Children’s Rights (ANDI). In this period, he was responsible for several surveys that evaluated the news media coverage on issues such as children’s education, rights, violence, health, sexual abuse, human and social development, drugs, participatory democracy, entrepreneurial social responsibility, human rights, among others.

Gustavo Faleiros is the Director of Environmental Investigations for the Pulitzer Center, where he coordinates the Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN). Based in São Paulo, Brazil, he is an environmental journalist and media trainer specializing in data-driven journalism. In 2012, he launched InfoAmazonia, a digital platform that uses satellite imagery and other publicly available data to report on the nine Amazon rainforest countries.

Gwen Lister is the founder and director of The Namibian. Gwen Lister is a veteran, multi award-winning journalist who founded The Namibian newspaper in 1985 at the height of apartheid. Hailed as a World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute (IPI) in 2000, Lister is also recipient of a number of courage in journalism accolades from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Womens Media Foundation (IWMF) among others. As a strong advocate of press freedom and free speech and expression, Lister co-chaired the UNESCO-sponsored conference in 1991 which authored the Windhoek Declaration on a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Media in Africa and which led the UN General Assembly to adopt May 3 as World Press Freedom Day. Lister has over four decades in the craft, including 26 years in service as editor of the newspaper until she handed over to her successor in 2011. She is currently a trustee of the NMT Media Foundation, which promotes press freedom and access to information with its advocacy workand journalism excellence through youth-focussed training projects. Lister recently authored her memoir, Comrade Editor: On Life, Journalism and the Birth of Namibia.

Jennie King is the Director of Climate Research and Policy at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD). She leads efforts to translate digital research into frontline programming and response. Through ISD, she helped found Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), a coalition of over 50 organisations working to identify, analyse and counter climate disinformation worldwide. She has spearheaded investigations on climate denialism and ‘discourses of delay’ in contexts spanning Australia, Canada, Europe, South Africa, the US and UK, as well as co-authored a number of ISD’s flagship reports on this issue. Jennie helped design, and currently manages, the COP Intelligence Units on behalf of CAAD, leading over 15 partners to produce real-time monitoring of mis- and disinformation around climate summits. She has testified before the European Parliament, and in January 2024 was awarded "World Thinker of the Year" for climate by Prospect Magazine.

Dr. Jens Zimmermann, spokesperson for digital policy of the SPD parliamentary group, has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2013. He leads the SPD's digital policy, overseeing topics such as the German Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) and digital infrastructure regulation. Zimmermann played a key role in investigating the Wirecard economic scandal. He represents the Odenwald district and previously chaired the SPD group in Hesse. With a background in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Zimmermann worked as an independent consultant and professor before entering politics. He now focuses on digital regulation, international policy, and cybersecurity, currently overseeing the adoption of the European Digital Services Act into national law. Zimmermann's expertise extends to shaping SPD's digital policy in electoral programs and coalition negotiations.

João Brant is currently serving as the Secretary of Digital Policies at the Secretariat of Social Communication within the Presidency of the Republic. His academic background includes a PhD in Political Science from USP, a Master's degree in Regulation and Communication Policies from LSE in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor's degree in Social Communication from USP. Previously, he held positions as the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Culture from 2015 to 2016 and as a special advisor at the Municipal Secretariat of Culture in São Paulo from 2013 to 2014. With over fifteen years of experience in civil society organizations and consulting roles for international entities like UNESCO, Brant brings a wealth of expertise to his current role.

Julie Posetti (PhD) is Deputy VP of Global Research at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and Professor of Journalism at City, University of London. She is a multi-award-winning internationally-published Australian journalist and academic with over three decades of experience. Prof. Posetti leads the Online Violence Project and research for the Disarming Disinformation Project at ICFJ. She has also led several major UN-commissioned studies in the fields of disinformation, freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. She is the author of Protecting Journalism Sources in the Digital Age (UNESCO, 2017), lead author of The Chilling: A Global Study of Online Violence Against Women Journalists (UNESCO/ICFJ: 2022) and Guidelines for Monitoring Online Violence Against Female Journalists (OSCE, 2023), and co-author of Journalism, 'Fake News' and Disinformation (UNESCO, 2018) and Balancing Act: Countering Digital Disinformation While Respecting Freedom of Expression (UNESCO, 2020). She is also the author of multiple academic book chapters and papers, and her journalism has been published by The Washington Post, Foreign Policy. The Atlantic, the BBC, the ABC, The Guardian, and the Sydney Morning Herald, among others. Prof. Posetti sits on the Board of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) and the Advisory Board of the Global Partnership for Action on Online Gender-Based Abuse. She is a Senior Researcher affiliated with the Centre for Freedom of the Media and a Research Associate with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

Karla Mendes is an award-winning Brazilian journalist working as a Rio de Janeiro-based investigative and feature reporter for Mongabay and a fellow of the Pulitzer Center's Rainforest Investigations Network. Mendes is the first Brazilian and Latin American elected to the board of directors of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ); she was also nominated SEJ's Second Vice President and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair. Mendes has won several national and international awards, including the SEAL Environmental Journalism Award, Lincoln Award, two SEJ Awards for and the Fetisov Journalism Awards, among others.

Kate Cell is the Senior Climate Campaign Manager for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. In her role, she manages the UCS Climate Campaign, leading a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, policy analysts, legislative affairs staff, and outreach and communication experts working to achieve policies that can reduce global warming emissions and increase resilience to climate change impacts. Her team is focused on demonstrating and alleviating the disparate burdens climate change poses to environmental justice communities, low-income communities, and communities of color. Kate serves as a policy co-chair for the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition and has been quoted in news outlets such as Agence France Press, Reuters, and AP News.

Kate Skinner is the Executive Director of the Association of Independent Publishers of South Africa. Kate has been a media freedom activist in South Africa since the dawn of democracy in 1994. She chaired the board of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) and was a board member for a decade. In 2008 she founded the civil society campaign and lobby group, Save Our SABC (SOS) to support our public broadcaster the South African Broadcasting Corporation. For 16 years the organization has played a key legal, policy and advocacy role in holding the SABC to account in terms of its public service mandate. In 2012, she turned her focus to academia and completed her PhD degree in 2017 focusing on public service broadcasting, media diversity and South Africa’s stop-start migration to digital terrestrial television. She was appointed executive director of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) in February 2018, and in July 2021, she took over as executive director of the community media online and print organization, the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), with a particular focus on building the sustainability of the community media sector. Finally, Kate has contributed and written several academic articles and papers. In 2022, she edited a book with Prof Glenda Daniels published by Palgrave Macmillan, “Women Journalists in South Africa”, exploring the myriad contributions of women journalists to South Africa’s democracy.

Khadija Patel is the Chairperson of the International Press Institute and Journalist-in-Residence at the International Fund for Public Interest Media. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa she has extensive experience in digital news media production and distribution and has also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Mail & Guardian, one of the African continent’s most celebrated news titles. She is also a noted speaker on press freedom, media viability and decoloniality. Her journalism has been published around the world, and she’s particularly known for her work on human rights and international relations.

Kristina Wilfore, Director of Innovation and Global Projects at Reset, is a seasoned international development and elections specialist who has worked in over 30 countries for more inclusive and responsive democratic movements. From Eastern Europe to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas she advises governments, international NGOs, philanthropies and civil society on how to create an enabling environment to meaningfully tackle digital threats to democracy. At Reset Kristina spearheads initiatives at the intersection of election integrity, gender, political violence and information resilience to mitigate the harms caused by digital media monopolies. In 2021 she co-founded #ShePersisted, an initiative to ensure that digital harms against women leaders are recognized and addressed as threats to national security and the human rights system. Kristina serves as an advisor to the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-based Online Harassment and Abuse, a 14 country collaboration established to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence as part of a shared global agenda to promote peace, security, and stability.

Luz Haro has forged a whole life in the service of democracy and politics with a focus on gender and rurality, intergenerational and intercultural; a commitment that has earned her multiple awards and distinctions. She was founder of the Fatima Women's Association, responsible for the project "First School of Women Leaders of the Amazon", founder of the Women's Political Coordinator, and founder and director of the "Foundation for the IntegralCommunity Development". Currently, she is president of the Women's Association of Rural Parish Councils of Ecuador, legal representative of the Ecuadorian Women's Political Coordinator (CPME) and advisor to the Institute for Democracy (IDD-CNE).

Marcela Ríos Tobar is the director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). Marcela is a sociologist, political scientist and politician. She has a PhD in political science at the University of Wisconsin, USA. She was Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Chile between March 2022 and January 2023. Prior to her role as minister, she served as deputy representative and governance coordinator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Chile for more than 14 years, from where she led multiple studies and reports on governance and the state of democracy, contributing to the processing of political reforms. She was recently a visiting scholar at the Latin American Center at the University of Oxford England and a consultant for the Ford Foundation and the UNDP. At IDEA, Marcela Ríos Tobar oversees country programs in Panama, Perú, Chile and Uruguay, as well as the regional portfolio. 

Marina Giancoli Cardoso Pita is the General Coordinator of Freedom of Expression Policies and Fighting Disinformation, at the Digital Policies Secretariat in Brazil. Marina Pita holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing a Master's in Science and Technology Policy at the University of Campinas. With over a decade of experience as a journalist, she has extensively covered topics such as economics, politics, telecommunications, and information technology markets. Marina has also served in governmental relations capacities for civil society organizations in Brazil, focusing on the intersection of human rights, digital rights, and the right to communication. Presently, she serves as the General Coordinator for Freedom of Expression and Combatting Disinformation at the Digital Policy Secretariat within the Presidential Communications Office of Brazil.

Martha Ramos is a journalist and Director of Editorial Operations at OEM, the largest Mexican company in print media and the largest journalistic company in Latin America. She has been the President of the World Editors Forum of WAN-IFRA since 2023. Additionally, Ramos serves as the President of the Inclusion and Diversity Committee of the SIP and is a member of its board. She is also the President of the Media Alliance Mx. Previously, she served as the editor of El Universal, web editor of Publimetro Mexico, and editorial director of Diario 24 horas.

With extensive experience in strategic campaigning and digital advocacy in the environmental and human rights spaces, Max now works as the Counter-Disinformation Lead at Roots, driving initiatives to equip young climate activists and journalists in the Global South with the tools to better identify and respond to misinformation. With previous roles at Greenpeace UK, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, UNICEF and others, he is motivated to harness the power of digital innovation, technology and the principles of movement building to progress the fight for climate justice.

Maximiliano Manzoni is an award-winning journalist, creative writer and researcher, with expertise in climate change, negotiations, disinformation, carbon markets, and Big Agriculture in Latin America. He was part of the first Paraguayan team to win the 2018 Gabriel García Márquez Journalism Award in Innovation and is a two-time winner of the Amnesty International Paraguay Prize for Human Rights Journalism (2016-2019). Maximiliano received a Special Mention UNICEF Paraguay Award for Investigative Journalism in 2021 and was the first Paraguayan correspondent at COP27 and COP28. His work has been featured in outlets in North and South America as well as in Europe, and he is the recipient of a Gabo Award for excellence, innovation and ethics in journalism. He writes in Spanish and English.

Melissa Fleming took her functions as Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications on 1 September 2019. From 2009 until August 2019, Ms. Fleming served UNHCR as Head of Global Communications and Spokesperson for the High Commissioner.  At UNHCR, she led global media outreach campaigns, social media engagement and a multimedia news service to distribute and place stories designed to generate empathy and stir action for refugees. Ms. Fleming is a frequent interview guest on international media platforms, and her talks are featured on TED.com.  She is author of the book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea, and host of the award-winning podcast, Awake at Night. Ms. Fleming joined UNHCR from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where she served for eight years as Spokesperson and Head of the Media and Outreach.  Prior to IAEA, she headed the Press and Public Information team at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Earlier still, she was Public Affairs Specialist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich, having started her career as a journalist.  From 2016 to 2017, she also served as Senior Adviser and Spokesperson on the incoming United Nations Secretary General’s Transition Team. Ms. Fleming holds a Master of Science in Journalism from the College of Communication, Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in German Studies from Oberlin College.
 

Michel Forst has extensive experience in human rights, and more specifically on the protection of human rights defenders. He has held several leading positions on the national and international stages, such as Secretary General of the French National Human Rights Institution, General Director of Amnesty International, and Chief of Staff at UNESCO. His dedication to the protection of defenders led him to convene the First World Summit on Human Rights Defenders, as its Secretary General. He was later elected as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders (2014-2020). Further to witnessing, in this role, the major threats that environmental defenders face, he applied in 2022 for a newly established mandate under the Aarhus Convention, specifically dedicated to their protection, and was elected, in June 2022, as the world’s first UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. He currently holds this mandate.

Nandini Chatterjee Singh is a cognitive neuroscientist and currently Senior Project Office at UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, in New Delhi, India. She leads the Rethinking Learning program at MGIEP and focuses on building social and emotional skills for Peace and Global Citizenship in children in K-12. She has led the development of EMC2, a neuroscience-based framework that builds SEL competencies of Empathy(E), Mindfulness (M), Compassion (C) and Critical Inquiry (C). She is focused on designing new interactive curricula using innovative digital pedagogies (like digital games and digital dialogue) to cultivate SEL and conducts research to assess their efficacy in school education systems.

Nicolas Sepulveda works in environmental data journalism. He has been a researcher at CIPER since 2015. He has won the Journalism of Excellence award twice (2019 and 2022) and has been nominated for the award seven times uninterruptedly since 2016.

Honourable Commissioner Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, a national of Mauritius, was elected as a member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in October 2021 and sworn into office on 15 November 2021. She is the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa; Vice-Chairperson of the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations in Africa; Member of the Working Group on the Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Africa; and member of the Resolutions Committee. She is a lawyer with great expertise in International Maritime Law. She currently works as a Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General’s Office. Her areas of experience include representing the State in court cases, tendering advice to various Ministries and drafting legislation. Honourable Topsy-Sonoo works in English but is also highly proficient in French.

Patricia Mayorga Ordóñez is the co-director of the local media network Periodistas de a Pie in Mexico with over 20 years of experience as a journalist. Based in the State of Chihuahua, she is a correspondent for Revista Proceso, and co-founder of Raíchali. Patricia is a prominent figure mainly in the coverage on subjects related to forced displacement and disappearances, extractivism, corruption and organized crime. She has collaborated with media outlets such as IDL-Reporteros in Peru, Mongabay, Revista Gatopardo, and the Italian magazines Internazionale and Piaui, among others.

Paulina Ibarra is the executive director of the Multitudes Foundation in Chile and the first elected Chair of the Civil Society Pillar of the Community of Democracies. She has global experience in the areas of transparency, citizen participation and accountability and has worked in government, private sector and international organizations.

Pedro Vaca Villarreal is the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). He is a Colombian lawyer with a Master's degree in Law and a Specialization in Constitutional Law. With more than 12 years of professional experience in the field of human rights, Mr. Vaca has led regional processes in the defense of freedom of expression from positions of responsibility. Prior to his appointment as Special Rapporteur, he served for seven years as Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom of the Press (FLIP) in Colombia.

Rachael Kay has worked at IFEX for over 20 years and is currently the Executive Director, leading a remarkable team and bringing creativity and purpose to the strategic development of the organisation. Other leadership roles at IFEX have included shaping an infrastructure for Finance and Administration, providing programmatic and operational leadership, including network communications, connecting groups of activists and management of governance bodies and staff. Rachael’s background in international relations, languages and project and financial management enables her to provide support and guidance to IFEX as a global network.

Ambassador Raúl Eduardo Fernández Daza, a seasoned diplomat, commenced his career at Chile's Diplomatic Academy in 1980. His extensive service spans various Chilean embassies worldwide, including Romania, Switzerland, Brazil, and Canada, among others. Noteworthy roles include Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador to Haiti and later to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg. He also held the position of Secretary General of Foreign Policy. With a career marked by leadership, he oversaw significant international events such as the Summit of the Americas and APEC Leaders Summit. In 2023, he assumed the role of Chilean Ambassador to France. Beyond his diplomatic achievements, he cherishes his roles as a husband, father of three, and grandfather of three.

Roberto Rock is the current president of the Inter American Press Association (SIP). Founder and director of La Silla Rota in Mexico, one of the most widely-read native digital media outlets in Mexico. He was the editorial director of El Universal in Mexico, one of the country's leading media outlets.

Samara Castro is the Director of the Department of Promotion of Freedom of Expression at the Secretariat for Digital Policies of the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil. She holds a Master's degree in Public and Economic Law from Mackenzie Presbyterian University and is a lawyer specialized in Electoral, Party, Digital Law, Privacy, and Data Protection. She coordinates the strategy to combat misinformation about public policies in the Brazilian Federal Government and is a member of the Misinformation Confrontation Committee on the National Immunization Program and Public Health Policies. Castro also acts as the Sectoral Personal Data Officer of SECOM for the Data Protection Plan of the Presidency of the Republic and is part of the Observatory of Violence against Journalists and Communicators of the Ministry of Justice. Professionally, she led the Freedom of Expression Commission of the OAB/RJ, was vice-president of the Data Protection and Privacy Commission of the OAB/RJ, coordinated the communication of the Brazilian Academy of Electoral and Political Law, and participated in the Electoral Observatory of the OAB/RJ and the Electoral Law Commission of the OAB/RJ.

Sergio Arauz is the editor-in-chief of El Faro, one of the most acclaimed Latin American media outlets today. Arauz has been awarded the Latin American Investigative Journalism Prize.

Swapneel Mehta is a data scientist and the founder of SimPPLSwapneel. Mehta is a postdoctoral researcher investigating platform governance and freespeech at Boston University and MIT. He holds a Ph.D. from NYU's Center for Data Science,specializing in machine learning, causal inference, and their applications in combating online misinformation. He founded and leads SimPPL, a nonprofit research collective withthe mission of improving trust on the social internet. They train global majority students to build responsible AI tools at scale, winning grants and awards from Google, Wikimedia, Amazon, and others. Before this, he worked on machine learning at CERN and for a few Fortune 500 clients.

Thirteen-year-old Taissa Kambeba, hailing from an indigenous background, is actively engaged in the Youth Movement for Public Policies (MJPOP) initiatives facilitated by Unicef and World Vision in the Brazilian Amazon. Notably, she represented her community at the 28th United Nations COP in Dubai, passionately advocating for the protection of indigenous children and adolescents' rights. Her participation underscored the importance of incorporating indigenous perspectives into discussions surrounding environmental conservation and climate adaptation.

Teresa Ribeiro, of Portugal, is the fifth Representative on Freedom of the Media. Prior to this position, she was Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, while serving as President of the National Commission for Human Rights. She was also Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal and Deputy Secretary General at the Union for the Mediterranean, positions that gave her extensive experience in dealing with the EU institutions and Member States, as well as with its close neighbourhood. Throughout her career, Teresa Ribeiro has held different positions in media such as President of the Institute of the Media of Portugal, Chairperson of the Steering Committee on Mass Media of the Council of Europe, as well as co-founder and first elected President of the Executive Board of Obercom – Media Observatory. She holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Lisbon.

Thais Lazzeri is an award-winning Brazilian journalist and the founder of FALA, an impact studio that utilizes communication to effect real changes in the environment, human rights, climate, and democracy. Additionally, she serves as an impact and creative director. With over 16 years of experience in journalism, she has received 15 awards for storytelling in reporting and documentaries. Thais is the only Brazilian journalist to have been honored with the Stop Slavery Award from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, recognizing professionals who excel in combating and exposing human trafficking and slavery on a global scale.

In Brazil, she leads the Mentira Tem Preço project (Lie Has a Price), an initiative focused on developing new narratives and strategies to combat disinformation and misinformation about climate, the environment, and hate speech domestically and internationally. Thais is also a documentary filmmaker. In 2018, she directed the documentary "Tomorrow Has Come," which highlights the impact of the climate crisis on Brazilians.

Vanina Berghella acts as the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in the International Fund for
Public Interest Media. Vanina started her career in journalism more than 25 years ago and gained extensive experience working in print, radio, and digital media. She has worked as a project management consultant for companies, media outlets, advertising agencies, and other organizations such as ICFJ, Deutsche Welle, BID, WAN-IFRA, Meta, IFEX, etc. Vanina also served as director for Velocidad, the media accelerator of SembraMedia and the International Center for Journalism (ICFJ), which supported a group of ten media in Latin America to strengthen their sustainability. She was the executive director of the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA), an organization dedicated to the professionalization of journalists and freedom of expression in the country, and was a member of the IFEX-ALC Board before this.

Verónica Goyzueta is the founder and director of SUMAUMA, a media outlet specializing in environmental coverage in the Amazon, with over two decades of experience reporting for North American and European media. She is also a member of the Pulitzer Center.

Wael began his career as a journalist working for the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds in Gaza before contributing to various Palestinian publications. He later worked as a correspondent for the Voice of Palestine in Tehran and the Sahar satellite channel during the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. In 2003, he joined Al-Arabiya TV before becoming part of the Al Jazeera. Wael joined Al Jazeera in 2004 as a correspondent and rose to prominence within a short span and became the bureau chief of Al Jazeera office in Gaza.

Zuliana Lainez is the President of the National Association of Journalists of Peru and Vice President of the International Federation of Journalists and Federation of Journalists. She is also an Opinion Editor of the digital newspaper Crónica Viva and a professor in Journalism Legislation and Right to Information. Her former positions include Head of Information of the newspaper Liberación and journalistic producer at Radio Santa Rosa.