This Tuesday marks the launch of the global campaign “ Choose Truth “, as part of the preparation of the World Information Daywhich will take place on September 28. More than 100 countries, hundreds of news organizations, media associations and individuals will join forces to highlight the importance of fact-based journalism. They will invite their audiences to support trusted news organizations.
World News Day is co-organized by the WAN-IFRA World Editors Forum and the Canadian Journalism Foundation. This year’s campaign theme, “Choosing Truth,” was developed by the Kontinuum Project, a campaign incubator led by Branko Brkic, founder of Daily Maverick.
“World News Day is an opportunity to reflect on the vital role that independent and courageous journalists play in communities around the world. Their work provides the evidence that leads to the truth,” said David Walmsley, editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail and founder of World News Day. It also highlights the unwavering commitment of journalists to reporting the facts, while acknowledging the challenge for the public in navigating a toxic information environment inundated with misinformation and disinformation.
In a joint article for World Information Day, Mr. Brkic and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa wrote: “The noise and violence will eventually die down, and discourse based on truth and decency will return. For now, we fight – every moment, every hour, every day… We will stand for the truth. We will stand for Truth.”
Ladina HeimgartnerPresident of WAN-IFRA, Managing Director of Media Ringier AG and CEO of Ringier Media Switzerland, said: “With ‘Choose Truth’, we are underlining our shared commitment to upholding the principles of fact-based journalism. In a world overwhelmed by misinformation, the responsibility of journalists to provide accurate, reliable and independent information has never been greater. This campaign reminds us that truth is not just a choice – it is the foundation of a free and democratic society.”
