Sarajevo, UNESCO, in collaboration with the European Union, officially unveiled the project “Building Trust in Media in South-East Europe: Support to Journalism as a Public Good” in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This initiative aims to promote freedom of expression and support journalism in the region.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the project, funded by the European Union with 3 million EUR until 2026, builds on the achievements of its preceding phases. Its objectives include fostering free, independent, and pluralistic media, acknowledging journalism as a public good, and combating disinformation. This endeavor aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 (gender equality) and SDG Target 16.10 (access to information).
Sinisa Sesum, Head of the UNESCO Antenna in Sarajevo, emphasized the project’s significance in a digitally transforming era that poses challenges to media integrity and public trust in South-East Europe. He highlighted the need for professional media support to counter misinformation and disinformation.
The project aligns with the Windhoek+30 Declaration: information as a public good, endorsing journalism as a public good. The Declaration urges steps to support media viability and mainstream Media and Information Literacy (MIL).
Joshua Massarenti, Regional Project Coordinator at the UNESCO Antenna in Sarajevo, stressed the role of partners and stakeholders in restoring media trust and strengthening media ethics. The project will focus on digital platform governance, human rights-based approaches to online media, and integrating MIL policies into formal education.
Borislav Vukojevic, UNESCO MIL Consultant for Western Balkans, emphasized the importance of integrating MIL curriculum in schools to develop critical thinking skills among youth.
The project also complements the EU-funded social media 4 Peace initiative, focusing on countering harmful online content, hate speech, and promoting peace through digital technologies, including social media.