Dozens of renowned journalists — including OCCRP’s Aida Čerkez, Aman Sethi from openDemocracy, and Tomáš Bella from Deník N — will soon gather in Lviv to discuss the challenges that our time presents to the media and society, babel.ua informs.

The Lviv Media Forum (LMF), one of the largest media events in Central and Eastern Europe, will take place on May 15–17 for the 11th time. Among its speakers will be Anne Applebaum, a staff writer for The Atlantic, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winner, and Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies at the University of Oxford.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Kateryna Zarembo, a political analyst specializing in Ukraine’s foreign security policy and civil society. During wartime Ukraine, she has become known not only as an analyst — since June 2024, Kateryna has served as a paramedic with the Hospitaliers medical battalion.

Since 2013, the Lviv Media Forum has gathered journalists from Ukraine and abroad to discuss the most pressing issues facing the media, as well as new approaches and practices. It quickly became the largest media conference in the region, bringing together media professionals and public intellectuals from all continents.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, LMF underwent a transformation. In the first year, the conference was canceled, with efforts focused on providing practical support for journalists. Since 2023, the forum has embraced a global scope, adopted English as its main language, and attracted more international speakers and guests. As Ukraine has become a country where events of global importance unfold, LMF aims to be a platform for discussions of international relevance. For example, last year’s keynote speech was delivered by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk.

ear, the conference’s theme is “Speak the Unspoken: Choices, Decisions, Responsibility.” Discussions will be divided into two streams — “Frankly Spoken,” focusing on challenges and solutions, and “Smartly Done,” highlighting best or original practices.

There are only three days left to join the conference — so if you’re considering attending, please follow the link provided earlier