Securing stable funding for investigative media is increasingly urgent given the instability of international grants. Building audiences willing to financially support accountability reporting offers a challenging but highly effective path to independence and sustainability. This session reveals strategies for successfully converting readers into paying subscribers or members, while maintaining long-term financial commitment through audience engagement, transparency, and value demonstration.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

The rising number of journalists forced into exile can face unique mental and emotional challenges beyond traditional newsroom pressures. This panel examines the psychological impact of forced displacement on journalists and explores strategies for building resilience within exile communities. We'll discuss how media organizations, press freedom groups, and host countries can better support the mental health needs of displaced journalists while preserving their crucial democratic role across borders.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

While AI can pose challenges, it has helped journalists to work with large data troves and find hidden patterns - and its tools are available to both large and small newsrooms. In this practical panel that draws on powerful investigative projects, data experts show how AI tools can be leveraged to comb through everything from court records to images and political speeches to help uncover stories of public interest.

Kristina Abovyan from University of Missouri-Columbia, USA will present the paper "The Power Of Human Voices: Building Trust With Exemplar Sources In Investigative Narratives." Kristina's research looks at how investigative journalists identify and find exemplar sources, and then establish contact and build trust with these sources.Sarwar Kamal from BGC Trust University, Bangladesh will present the paper “How Political Interference Shapes Investigative Journalism in Mofussil Regions: Evidence from Bangladesh.” Sarwar conducted a survey of 74 journalists, in-depth interviews and content analysis of investigative reports. The results demonstrate that political interference in mofussil journalism is multi-layered and systemic, creating an environment in which investigative reporting is frequently dampened down or restricted. Ahmed Makharesh from University of Southern Mississippi, USA will present the paper "Arab's Involvement in Investigative Journalism: Assessing Participation and Willingness.” Based on a quantitative survey of 421 Arab citizens across four regions of the Arab world, Ahmed measured Arab citizens' understanding of citizen investigative reporting and their willingness to engage in the investigative reporting industry. Mervet Chaktmi from Tunisia will present the paper “Investigative Journalism In Tunisia: Practices in the Context of Challenges.” Mervet's study explores the relationship between political transformation and investigative journalism, including how journalists access and verify information, navigate legal and security risks, and respond to economic pressures.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

While a growing number of reporters know how to dig into shell companies and hidden assets for “follow-the-money” investigations into fraud and corruption, many struggle with crunching of the numbers they've uncovered. In this workshop, a veteran journalist equips attendees with the ability to compute and work with percentages, rates, currencies, financial indicators, and the kind of mathematics that can be an investigator's friend.

In an era where data drives impactful storytelling, Python offers powerful analysis and visualization capabilities. This workshop demonstrates how AI tools like ChatGPT make coding approachable, empowering journalists to create data-driven stories independently. Designed for journalists without coding experience, the session starts with Python fundamentals and AI coding basics, as participants engage in hands-on Jupyter Notebook exercises. NOTE: Participants are encouraged to have Python (with Jupyter Notebook) installed on their devices and a ChatGPT account set up before attending. While familiarity with Python is helpful, it’s not required.

From October 7 onwards, journalists in Gaza became the target of attacks. They lost homes, friends and even relatives. Their information was manipulated, distorted, and questioned on social networks and also in certain international media. Some accused them of being members of Hamas, others of being Israeli spies - they became targets in the deadliest conflict on record for journalists. INSIDE GAZA is an unprecedented insight into this war provided by those trapped in the fighting. It is a story of factual journalism under attack by propaganda and disinformation from all sides that questions the very essence of war reporting. In a unique storytelling approach, Director Hélène Lam Trong collaborates directly with the protagonists - the journalists who recorded the footage in Gaza. The documentary blends this primary footage of the conflict zone with additional material, recorded since the journalists’ evacuation, as they seek to rebuild their lives in the UK, Egypt, France, and Belgium. INSIDE GAZA tells their story and invites the audience to reflect on the value of a free press.

This practical session equips journalists with tools to investigate climate finance and corporate environmental crimes. Panelists demonstrate how to use stock exchange data and free resources to uncover overlooked stories about banks funding fossil fuel companies, corporate greenwashing practices, and how major corporations harm vulnerable communities. Attendees also learn cost-effective investigation techniques, including methods to track financial flows between investors and polluting industries.

Before the digital age, paper documents held secrets that remain crucial for understanding our history. This panel explores how historical archives can illuminate contemporary investigations through real case studies. Discover how technology can unlock previously impenetrable records, from digitized manuscripts to AI-powered document analysis. Learn practical strategies for navigating archival systems, connecting past events to present stories, and uncovering long-buried truths that reshape our understanding of current events.

Cross-border collaborative journalism can uncover stories that individual newsrooms cannot tackle alone. However, the success of these ambitious projects often hinges on skilled editorial leadership that can navigate complex logistical, cultural, and professional challenges. This panel brings together veteran editors who have led successful cross-border investigations to discuss their insights on team building, project management, and the editorial decision-making processes that transform individual reporting into powerful collective storytelling.

This panel examines the systematic exploitation of migrant workers in Gulf states, from abusive recruitment in home countries to oppressive working conditions and restricted freedoms abroad. Speakers expose labor violations at major multinationals with a deep focus on widespread wage theft — the most common abuse affecting millions of workers. The discussion also analyzes recent Gulf reforms, their driving forces, and persistent gaps in protecting migrant rights.All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

How can journalists use remote investigation techniques to report on inaccessible conflict zones and high-risk areas? Whether it’s due to conflict, government restrictions, or environmental barriers, journalists often face the challenge of gathering credible information without being on the ground. Panel attendees learn practical applications of open source research tools, satellite data analysis, and remote verification methods. The session demonstrates how exiled journalists and remote investigators leverage these technologies to uncover war crimes, monitor developments, and produce verifiable stories, showcasing innovative approaches to overcome reporting barriers.All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Meet other women from the investigative journalism community, get inspired, discuss challenges, build networks, and share resources and ideas. This networking session is an informal gathering and a chance to meet your colleagues and talk about how we can help each other. So relax, enjoy yourself, share your ideas, and come ready to brainstorm and collaborate.GIJN Women is a group created by the Global Investigative Journalism Network to discuss issues related to the work of women and non-binary investigative journalists. The group was formally created in Hamburg in 2019 and it currently has hundreds of members from around the world. You can apply to join us here: https://groups.io/g/GIJNwomen/.All sessions are first come, first served. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Our networking sessions are just that: informal meet-ups where you can introduce yourself, talk about your work, brainstorm, and find colleagues to collaborate with. Here is a chance to meet colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere and help strengthen German-speaking investigative networks. All sessions are first come, first served. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Securing funding for ambitious investigations requires strategic planning and careful relationship management. This panel features funding experts and grant-makers who share practical advice on identifying appropriate funding sources, crafting compelling project proposals, and maintaining editorial independence throughout the funding process. Learn how to pitch investigations effectively, navigate funder expectations, and establish clear boundaries that protect journalistic integrity.🪑All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Effective grant writing is crucial for nonprofit media sustainability, but the process often overwhelms busy newsrooms. This practical workshop teaches efficient strategies for identifying appropriate funding opportunities, crafting compelling narratives, and meeting funder requirements without consuming excessive time. Learn to align organizational strengths with funder priorities, develop reusable proposal templates, and avoid common pitfalls that waste effort. 

Transnational criminal networks exploit jurisdictional gaps to evade accountability. This panel brings together investigative journalists who have successfully exposed major cross-border criminal enterprises despite significant personal risks. Learn advanced techniques for tracking money flows, identifying network connections, and collaborating with international partners. Speakers will share security protocols, source protection methods, and investigative strategies that enabled breakthrough stories.All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.

Religious groups are often able to commit abuses under secrecy, using spiritual authority as control mechanisms. Investigating these cases often requires communicating with traumatized victims and systematizing complex information. This panel brings together reporters who have investigated religious organizations, as they share their challenges, including legal harassment and persecution, while revealing creative approaches for accessing key information. Panelists discuss methodologies for building trust with sources, navigating institutional resistance, and developing compelling narratives from sensitive testimonies.

You've collected whois records, social media activity, online behavior, metadata, shared analytics, or ad IDs. But how do you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each indicator to establish connections and draw conclusions? This workshop draws on approaches used by open source practitioners, intelligence analysts, and lawyers to provide investigators with easy to implement strategies for weighing and analyzing digital evidence.

In this workshop, journalists will learn how to build their own customized AI research assistants to strengthen their daily newsgathering and investigative projects. Participants discover how to use large language models to help check sources and analyze information through multi-step processes. Journalists will work with the latest no-code AI software to build applications. During the workshop, each participant will develop a user interface for their personal research assistant, gaining practical skills to integrate AI tools into their journalism workflow.

Telegram has emerged as a global information platform, a key reporting tool for tracking conflicts and breaking news — and also a favorite communication channel for malicious actors involved in disinformation, corruption, and organized crime. In this practical workshop — no programming expertise required — veteran investigative journalists share user-friendly tools and methods for scraping Telegram data, investigating public channels, collecting and archiving messages, and transcribing video content.

Navigating investigative freelancing can pose various challenges for journalists, while at the same time offer independence and the ability to pick projects of interest. In this session, journalists with great experience working on their own offer tips and tricks to work on investigative projects as freelancers. All sessions are first-come, first-serve. That means people who arrive first will get seats. Be aware that some sessions are in relatively small rooms and they will fill up quickly.