European Union Hosts 3rd Annual Media Forum

European Union Hosts 3rd Annual Media Forum

The Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan, in partnership with Maqsut Narikbayev University and cooperation with the EU Member States - France, Germany and Lithuania, successfully held the third annual Media Forum titled "The Digital Frontline: Online Presence in Times of AI and Information Manipulation." The one-day regional event gathered more than 100 participants, including journalists, fact-checkers, civil society representatives, media organisations and journalism students from all Central Asian countries.

H.E. Aleska Simkić, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan: This annual Forum is a vital space for EU-Kazakhstan cooperation, and now growing into a regional platform, bringing together media professionals from across Central Asia, where we discuss digital transformation, responsible AI, and combating disinformation, reflecting our shared commitment to innovation, media freedom, and a resilient information environment. The European Union strongly supports such dialogue, as it helps to ensure that digital transformation - including the use of AI - remains human-centred, ethical, and grounded in public trust.

H.E. Eduards Stiprais, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, a special guest of the Forum addressed to the participants: The media plays a vital role in shaping informed societies and strengthening democracy. It serves as a bridge between citizens as well as between them and institutions, ensuring transparency, accountability, and the free flow of information. By providing diverse perspectives, news outlets foster dialogue and understanding across communities. In times of crisis, it becomes an essential tool for conveying accurate and timely information. […] This Forum seeks to strengthen cross-border cooperation among journalists, fact-checkers, and civil society across Central Asia and beyond. Most importantly, it aims to empower you as the region's media community by developing practical skills, sharing experiences and building a stronger collective voice. […] Journalists' work is vital for ensuring that citizens remain informed. In turn, informed communities are the bedrock of peaceful and progressive societies. We are, and will remain, by your side as a reliable, long-term partner for media freedom and digital resilience in Central Asia.

The forum started with an introductory session and a keynote on digital security by Jean-Marc Bourguignon (Co-founder & Head of IT Systems Security, "Nothing2Hide", France) and featured four practical workshops addressing key challenges of the digital information space: a session on deepfakes and their political and journalistic impact, led by Maria Pawelec (International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, University of Tübingen, Germany), which examined verification tactics and the risks posed by synthetic media; a workshop on AI-driven disinformation, delivered by Jakub Śliż (President & Co-founder of "Pravda", Poland), providing tools for detecting and responding to AI-generated manipulation; a session on journalistic resilience and bias, conducted by Aleksandra Wrona (Co-founder & Vice-President of "Pravda", Poland), helping participants identify bias, strengthen newsroom practices and enhance impact measurement; and a digital security workshop by Artyom Tarasov (International Consultant on Digital Security, Kyrgyzstan), offering essential cybersecurity skills and practical protection methods tailored for media professionals.

During the Forum, participants received warm greetings from the President of the European Council Mr. Antonio Costa, who is currently in Astana for high-level meetings. His visit underscores the European Union's continued commitment to deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan and Central Asian partners in areas such as digital governance, media freedom and information integrity. The European Union remains committed to promoting media professionalism, digital resilience and a trusted information space across Central Asia.

The third regional Media Forum provided a platform to discuss, learn and cooperate among media professionals and experts as well as explore the effects of AI and responses to information manipulation for the online presence of journalists.