#IJF26
SAFETY
HUB
PERUGIA, ITALY
16-18 April 2026
09:00-18:00hrs ​​
Supported by
Participating organizations:
This year, for the first time, the International Journalism Festival is hosting a dedicated #IJF26 Safety Hub organised by ACOS Alliance in partnership with journalist safety and media organizations.
Open throughout the festival at Centro Alessi, the #IJF26 Safety Hub will run a full range of programme activities and side events aimed at strengthening the safety knowledge, skills and resilience of journalists, editors and news organisations.
The Hub will also serve as a meeting point and knowledge centre for those wishing to connect with safety experts and organizations and find out more about the safety tools and resources available to them.
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Activities include:
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1-2-1 CLINICS | SPYWARE SCANNING
TRY OUT NEW TOOLS & RESOURCES
Location: Centro Alessi, Via Danzetta
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SAFETY CLINICS FOR JOURNALISTS & EDITORS
Pre-booking essential
​Sign up for a free, 50 minute safety consultation with a leading international safety expert on a topic of your choice. Clinics are suitable for journalism professionals and teams who are looking for practical advice and guidance on a specific issue, assignment, story or situation. They are particularly useful for those who already have a basic knowledge of safety.
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Organized In partnership with Committee to Protect Journalists.
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SPYWARE DEVICE SCANNING
Drop in to the Hub with your mobile and/or tablet for a free scan from RESIDENT.ngo
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TRY OUTS AND DEMOS OF SAFETY TOOLS, CHATBOTS & COURSES
Including:-
New AI Safety tool JESS (Journalist Expert Safety Support)
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CPJ Whatsapp Safety Chatbot
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Online Safety Courses
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CONNECT WITH SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS, EXPERTS & RESOURCES
Find out what's available for your safety needs, including training, tools, templates, emergency and financial support.
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PRACTICAL
SAFETY WORKSHOPS
All workshops take place at: Centro Servizi Alessi, Via Manzini Entrance
Drop In, no booking required
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PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY 101: A WORKSHOP FOR JOURNALISTS AND EDITORS
​Friday 17 April: 16:00 to 17:30hrs
A 90 minute, hands-on workshop providing tools and techniques to help journalists and editors strengthen psychological safety and build resilience.
Trainers:
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Dr. Luisa Ortiz Pérez, Executive Director, Vita-Activa and Leader, Media Resilience Network
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Gavin Rees, Senior Advisor for Training and Innovation, Global Center for Journalism and Trauma
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Dr. Lauren Walsh, Managing Director of Journalist Safety Initiatives, James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
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Saturday 18 April: 11:30 -13:00hrs:
HOW TO CROSS BORDERS SAFELY
​From device searches, data seizures and interrogations, to visa issues and digital surveillance, crossing borders has become an increasingly fraught experience for journalists. This workshop will equip participants with concrete tools, checklists and strategies to travel more confidently, and to better protect their reporting, their sources and themselves.
Trainers:
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Ali Baskerville, Field Safety Manager, Thomson Reuters
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Harlo Holmes, Director, Digital Security, Freedom of the Press Foundation
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Alexander Papachristou, Executive Director, Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice​
Saturday 18 April: 15:00 -16:30hrs:
STAYING SAFE REPORTING CIVIL UNREST
Protests and other crowded gatherings are dynamic situations that can quickly turn dangerous or violent. Covering volatile crowds and police action to arrest, injury and online targeting, this practical workshop for journalists and editors preparing to report on civil unrest will focus on preparation, risk assessments and smart decision-making.
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Trainers
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Yemile Bucay, Editorial Safety Lead for the Americas, Reuters
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Mike Christie, Editorial Safety Consultant, Lechosa LLC
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SAFETY
SIDE EVENTS
Location: Centro Alessi, Via Manzini Entrance
Note: more side events will be added in the coming weeks
Thursday 16 April: 09:00 to 17:00
IWMF SAFETY TRAINING FOR JOURNALISTS
Application essential
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), in collaboration with ACOS Alliance, is offering a one-day, interactive, holistic safety training for journalists attending the International Journalism Festival.
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Journalists interested in taking part are encouraged to complete the application form below as soon as possible, as space is limited and applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
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All spaces will be allocated prior to the start of the festival.
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Friday 17 April: 11:30 to 13:00hrs
FREELANCE SAFETY MEETUP
Drop in
The ACOS Alliance invites freelance journalists to join us for an open, interactive conversation about safety in today’s fast-changing media landscape. This session offers a space to speak candidly about your experiences, from the safety challenges freelancers are facing to the evolving risks, changes and gaps you are navigating. What’s working well? What needs to change? Come share your perspective, connect with peers, and help shape stronger safety support for freelance journalists.
Followed by a light networking lunch for participants.
Moderated by
Elisabet Cantenys, Executive Editor, ACOS Alliance
Finbarr O'Reilly, Freelance photographer and author, ACOS board member ​​​​
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Note: Whilst this is a drop-in event, we're keen to get an idea of numbers so please register your interest below.
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Friday 17 April: 09:00 to 10.45hrs
WORKSHOP: DIGITAL SECURITY 101 FOR J-SCHOOL STUDENTS
By Invitation only
​Using journalist case-studies and current scenarios, this digital security workshop from ACOS Alliance and Open Technology Fund introduces J-School students from the Catholic University of Milan and the Giorgio Bocca State University in Turin to the essentials of good digital security practice and preparation. ​​
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