Rob
Beenders

Madame la Directrice générale, la Belgique est heureuse de vous accueillir en ce jour de commémoration de la Journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, dédié à l'information en tant que bien public à l'ère de l'Intelligence Artificielle.  

Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, c’est un honneur pour moi de m’adresser à vous ici à Bruxelles à l’occasion de l’événement phare de la Journée Mondiale de la Liberté de la Presse 2025. En Belgique, la liberté de la presse est un droit fondamental ancré dans la constitution et l’ ADN de notre pays. Notre engagement en faveur de la réglementation numérique et de la protection des données constitue un pilier de notre politique nationale.  

Last year, 82 journalists lost their lives, just because of what they do. Let me start by paying tribute to those reporting from conflict zones and those risking their lives daily to defend human rights, freedom of speech and liberty of expression.  

The protection of journalists – especially women journalists -  in conflict areas remains a top priority for Belgium. In conflicts around the world, in Gaza and the West Bank, in Ukraine and in many other places like Sudan and DRC, journalists are specifically targeted by violence because they show the world the reality of war, documenting atrocities and deliberate attacks on civilians. They make sure that the people living in these conflicts are not overlooked by the rest of the world. This is why the work of the United Nations, UNESCO, non-governmental organizations and courageous individuals who fight on a daily basis for human rights is so important.  

The World Press Freedom Index that was published last week by the NGO Reporters Without Borders shows a sharp decline in press freedom, also in Europe. The global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of the Index. This is extremely worrying. All alarm bells should go off.

In this context of growing threats to press freedom and expression Belgium reaffirms its unwavering commitment to free, independent, and pluralistic media. This is an essential condition for upholding democracy and human rights. Let us remain steadfast in our commitment to these principles.

At the same time we see growing hostility towards the rights of minorities – such as LGBTI+ rights, women’s rights and policies aimed at diversity, equality and inclusion. This is NOT a coincidence.  

It is due to the worldwide rise in extreme nationalism, authoritarianism and democratic backsliding. Journalists and independent media are essential to fight against misinformation and the perpetration of harmful stereotypes and for diversity, for human rights and eventually for the rule of law. They reveal what authoritarian leaders do not want us to see. They reveal how cruel crackdowns and raids on immigrants can be, what perverse techniques are used to target minorities and how utterly inhumane it is to block humanitarian aid for millions of people. This is why journalistsare being repressed.. As UNESCO’s research shows, women are now more exposed to online violence than ever, creating a chilling effect. We urgently need to stop this trend.

But let’s not forget that those who muzzle the freedom of press are afraid. They are afraid of diversity, equal chances and inclusion. They are afraid of our wider goals of a more just society with equal rights for all. They are afraid of the ideals of the EU, the UN and UNESCO. They know that the freedom of press and the advancement of equal rights are indispensable elements of any democratic society and are essential for the realization and enjoyment of a wide range of other human rights.  

And indeed, they use new technologies, face recognition, artificial intelligence and social media.Education,  digital and algorithm literacy are key, as is proper regulation to protect against bias and misinformation

Nous devons travailler ensemble pour améliorer la culture numérique et algorithmique, protéger les citoyens contre les utilisations abusives des nouvelles technologies et réglementer ces nouvelles technologies de manière appropriée. Cela nécessite une approche internationale forte, comme l'a démontré l'Union européenne au travers de son Règlement sur les services numériques et du futur Règlement sur l'équité numérique. En collaborant, nous pouvons exploiter le potentiel de l'IA pour améliorer le journalisme tout en préservant les droits et libertés qui sont le fondement de nos sociétés démocratiques.

Let me conclude by reiterating Belgium’s strong support for UNESCO and the work it is doing to protect journalists globally, with particular attention to women journalists. UNESCO’s data and monitoring efforts play an essential role in informing effective policy responses to address the widespread impunity for crimes against journalists.

I wish you all an inspiring World Press Freedom Day, and a pleasant stay in Brussels and enjoy our Belgian chocolate!