The 2025 AEJ International general assembly and congress gathered in Brussels on November 14 and 15 with discussions about the multiplying threats to media independence, the safety and security of journalists, the disruptive impact of technology and AI, and the importance of collaboration.
The congress was organised by AEJ Belgium and elected a new executive board for the next two years which among other issues, as requested by the General Assembly, will obtain further specifics about the make-up and character of a proposed new AEJ German section whose representative addressed the GA, and report back to the membership by February 2026.
Please see here for all reports on the 2025 Congress
Also at the congress, William Horsley announced his resignation as AEJ special representative for media freedom after many years in that role; his achievements have included building a network of close collaboration with other leading press freedom and journalists’ organisations and advocacy which led to the establishment of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists and an ongoing Europe-wide Journalists Matter campaign. He remains chair of the AEJ UK.
William will remain active in the field of media freedom efforts in support of Irina Nedeva, who replaces him as AEJ special representative for media freedom. Irina is a senior broadcast journalist and former president of AEJ Bulgaria; she was also re-elected as one of three vice presidents of the AEJ International.
