An international conference on the theme “Media and Decolonization: Rising Voices, Amplifying Narratives” has begun in Baku, organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
The conference is the first platform of its kind organized in Azerbaijan with the participation of media representatives from former colonial territories.
The conference brings together leaders and representatives of media organizations from former and current colonial territories, journalists, political commentators, representatives of diaspora organizations, experts in media and communications, representatives of civil society institutions, researchers, diplomats, government officials, and representatives of local media.
The event will discuss the role of the media and the challenges it faces in amplifying the voices of people and ethnic minorities subjected to neocolonial exploitation and living under conditions of colonial dependence in the international information space.
Particular attention will be paid to highlighting, in the international media, the realities of colonialism that have long remained in the shadows: the economic exploitation of territories, the plundering of natural resources, the erasure of cultural identity, systemic discrimination, repression against indigenous peoples, as well as policies aimed at deliberately altering the demographic composition of the local population by resettling people from outside, as exemplified by the Kanaks (New Caledonia) and Bonaire.
The conference will feature discussions on lifting the artificial information blockade imposed on colonial territories, applying cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools to combat disinformation and fake news, establishing international coordination among journalists and media organizations, and strengthening cooperation between international media organizations and local journalists.
