Isocrates Foundation

06/06/2024

The Isocrates Foundation supports the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), a groundbreaking initiative that was publicly launched at the Nobel Prize Summit in May 2023.

IPIE represents a consortium of over 250 scientists from 55 countries, dedicated to providing neutral assessments of the world's information environment. Its mission is to independently inspect systems of information manipulation and bias and evaluate effective policy measures for mitigating risks and threats to information integrity. With a focus on action-oriented research, IPIE's goal is to offer policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society independent, science-based recommendations to navigate and improve the global information landscape.

In its inaugural year, IPIE has made significant strides, publishing three major reports that shed light on the complexities of the information environment. These reports, summarized in guides available in ten languages, serve as essential resources for policymakers and the scientific community, aiming to enhance the role of information technology in public discourse. Furthermore, IPIE's contributions include a set of recommendations for the United Nations' draft Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms.

The Isocrates Foundation's support will assist in establishing IPIE's headquarters in Switzerland, bolstering its capacity to impact the global discourse on information integrity. We are excited to be part of this promising journey and look forward to contributing to IPIE's success in its formative years.

For more information about the International Panel on the Information Environment and its initiatives, please visit www.ipie.info

06/06/2024

In 2023, The Isocrates Foundation renewed its partnership with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) for the "Reporting Democracy" initiative from 2023 to 2025.

"Reporting Democracy" (RD) serves as a pivotal cross-border journalistic platform, launched by BIRN in 2020 with the support of the Isocrates Foundation. Its mission is to foster independent professional journalism that critically examines the state of democracy, issues, trends, and events shaping the future of the region. Through its comprehensive approach, the initiative not only produces insightful articles, interviews, and analyses by its correspondents but also empowers local journalists by commissioning pieces and offering grants for in-depth reporting and investigation.

Since its inception, RD has produced over 900 articles covering 18 European countries. Its dedicated website, "Balkans Insight," has become a significant source of information, attracting more than a million readers and achieving over 1,000 republications and citations across prestigious European media outlets.

The renewed support from the Isocrates Foundation through 2025 will ensure that BIRN's network of journalists receives the necessary financial and editorial backing to continue their invaluable work. It will also enhance opportunities for exchange and collaboration, which are crucial for the initiative's success and impact.

For more information about "Reporting Democracy" and its contributions to the journalistic landscape in Europe, visit: https://www.balkaninsight.com/reporting-democracy

06/06/2024

Forbidden Stories aligns with the Isocrates Foundation's goals of supporting freedom of the press and access to reliable information. Operating under the guiding principle that the silencing of a journalist should not equate to the silencing of the truth, encapsulated in their tagline: "Killing the journalist won’t kill the story," Forbidden Stories has a dual-faceted mission: deterring crimes against journalists by completing their unfinished investigations and facilitating public access to information on corruption, environmental crimes, and human rights abuses.

The Isocrates Foundation commends the establishment of the SafeBox Network by Forbidden Stories, an initiative designed to protect the ongoing investigations of at-risk journalists. This partnership reflects our belief in the essential role of consortia and collaborative networks in safeguarding journalists and their work.

Noteworthy accomplishments of Forbidden Stories include the Daphne Project, which led to significant governmental changes in Malta, and the Green Blood Project, resulting in the suspension of environmentally harmful mining activities in Guatemala. These outcomes underscore the effectiveness and impact of collaborative investigative journalism.

For more information about Forbidden Stories and its initiatives, visit www.forbiddenstories.org

03/05/2024

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, The Isocrates Foundation is delighted to announce the awarding of the Kofi Annan Courage in Cartooning Award to Rachita Taneja of India and Zunzi of Hong Kong. This award celebrates the talent and bravery of cartoonists who work under challenging conditions and is organized biennially by the Freedom Cartoonists Foundation, an organization supported by The Isocrates Foundation.

Both winners are also featured in the "Cartooning for Freedom" exhibition at Quai Wilson along the shores of Lake Geneva, open until June 2, 2024.

Discover a selection of the exhibited drawings at the following link:

Le Prix international du dessin de presse, décerné par la Fondation Freedom Cartoonists, présidée par Chappatte, et la ville de Genève, a été remis au dessinateur hongkongais Zunzi et à sa consœur indienne Rachita Taneja. Jusqu’au 2 juin, une sélection de dessin est exposée sur le quai ...

19/02/2024

As the Isocrates Foundation unveils its Annual Report 2023, it's clear that its commitment to ensuring access to reliable information has never been more vital. Amidst the global rise of fake news, our focus since 2017 on this critical issue proves to be both bold and timely. The World Economic Forum's latest report underscores disinformation as the top global risk, highlighting the importance of our mission as we approach a pivotal election year in 2024.

In 2023, despite challenges, the Foundation has sharpened its focus and prioritized the fight against disinformation. The efforts of the Foundation, amid the widening gap between the spread of disinformation and the resources available to counteract it, underscore the urgency of its work.

Discover our Annual Report: https://isocrates.org/publications/Version%20EN/index.html

15/02/2024

The Isocrates Foundation would like to thank all its partners, without whose initiatives, creativity, and courage, it wouldn’t be what it is today.

For more information: https://isocrates.org/our-grantees/

15/02/2024

Public debate is essential to a healthy and vibrant democracy. By enabling citizens and society as whole to come together, share ideas and engage in dialogue to collectively define the common good, it fosters the exchange of diverse perspectives, the formation of informed opinions and strengthens the ability of citizens to hold their leaders accountable.

The Isocrates Foundation is committed to support the vital role of public interest journalism in stimulating and informing public debate and to strengthen civil society organizations in their efforts to create a healthy digital public space that allows for safe, fair, and inclusive public debate in the digital realm.

Discover the foundation's vision and the two pillars that it supports: https://isocrates.org/public-debate/

15/02/2024

The Isocrates Foundation is an independent philanthropic foundation, dedicated to the protection and promotion of public debate.
The Foundation funds and supports public interest journalism and media organizations committed to strengthening the field of investigative journalism and the production of independent quality information, as well as civil society organizations working towards responsible digitalization and a healthy digital public space.

Visit our website: https://isocrates.org/