High-Level Conference on Media Literacy and Information Integrity
Building Resilience to Disinformation and FIMI in Europe
20 March 2026 
MAIB Park, 31 August 1989 Street, 127, Chișinău
In today’s digital age, disinformation, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), hate speech, and other forms of information disorder are increasingly eroding public trust and undermining the integrity of democratic processes. Malicious actors exploit online platforms to rapidly spread misleading content, influence public opinion, and distort public discourse, ultimately threatening the very foundations of democracy. In these challenging times, a collective response is needed.
With the New Democratic Pact for Europe, the Council of Europe unites with its partners to boost and integrate solutions that work and create new responses. Organised under the auspices of the Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and under the umbrella of the New Democratic Pact for Europe, this Conference is offering the opportunity for institutions from various member States and partners to exchange critical experiences and discuss specific mechanisms to collectively find innovative ways in which to build a healthier, more resilient, and trustworthy information environment across Europe.
The Council of Europe has already made significant efforts to counter the threat of disinformation and promote a healthy information environment. As part of these broader efforts, the conference will launch two key documents recently adopted by the CDMSI (the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society), aimed to help member states develop national MIL strategies and provide actionable steps to counter disinformation and promote information integrity. In addition, the conference will provide an update on the Council of Europe’s most recent efforts to address FIMI.
Overall, this conference aims to serve as a critical step in advancing the collective efforts at strengthening democratic resilience and security and foster a more accountable and secure information environment across Europe and beyond.
Programme
9:00 - 9:30 Introduction and Welcome
Daniela CUJBĂ, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the Council of Europe
Opening addresses
Maia SANDU, President of the Republic of Moldova
Alain BERSET, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
09.45 - 11.00: Panel I - European and National Challenges and Innovative Approaches to Tackling Disinformation and FIMI
Moderator Liliana VIȚU, Chair of the Audiovisual Council, Republic of Moldova
Panellists:
- Gianluca ESPOSITO, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe
- Julien MOUSNIER, Director for Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy, European Commission
- Stanislav SECRIERU, National Security and Defence Adviser to the President of the Republic of Moldova
- Yuliia YANCHUK, Deputy Director of the Department of Strategic Communications and Promotion of Ukrainian Culture of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine
- Valentin JUCAN, Vice President of the National Audiovisual Council of Romania
The session will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A
11.00 - 11.30: Coffee break
11:30– 12:45: Panel II - Fighting Disinformation and FIMI in the Digital Age
11.30 – 11.45: Keynote speech by Michael O’FLAHERTY, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Moderator Viktor DENISENKO, Vice Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
Panellists:
- Heini HUOTARINEN, Chair of Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (PCFIMI)
- Eva KLØVE, Head of Strategy and Policy, EEA and Norway Grants
- Viktors MAKAROVS, Special Envoy on Digital Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
- Valentyn KOVAL, First Deputy Chair of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine
The session will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A
12:45 - 14.30: Lunch
14.30 - 15:45: Panel III - Council of Europe Guidance in Building Resilience to Disinformation and Promoting Media and Information Literacy
Moderator Martina CHAPMAN, Council of Europe Expert, Former Independent Chair of the National Counter Disinformation Strategy Working Group, Ireland
Panellists:
- Aikaterini POLYZOU, Chair of Council of Europe Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) – on the Guidance Note on Countering the Spread of Online Mis- and Disinformation
- Urbano REVIGLIO, Research Associate, Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF), European University Institute – on Resisting Disinformation: 10 Building Blocks to Strengthen Information Integrity
- Brian O’NEILL, Council of Europe Expert, Technological University Dublin – on National MIL Strategies: Practical Steps and Indicators
- Konrad BLEYER-SIMON, Research Fellow, Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, European University Institute – on the RESIST project methodology
The session will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A
15:45 - 16:00: Coffee break
16:00 – 17:15: Panel IV - Media and Information Literacy Efforts to Build Information Integrity
Moderator Brian O’NEILL, Council of Europe Expert, Technological University Dublin
Panellists:
- Aneta GONȚA, Deputy Chair of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova, CDMSI Member on behalf of the Republic of Moldova
- Martina CHAPMAN, Council of Europe Expert, Former Independent Chair of the National Counter Disinformation Strategy Working Group, Ireland
- Vitor TOMÉ, Council of Europe Expert, Autonomous University of Lisbon, ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
- Cyril NTONE, Programme Specialist, Information Integrity, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)
- Adeline HULIN, Chief of Unit MIL and digital competencies, UNESCO
The session will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A
17:15 – 17:30: Conclusions and Next Steps
Liliana VIȚU, Chair of the Audiovisual Council, Republic of Moldova
Roberto OLLA, Head of Democratic Institutions and Freedoms Department, Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Council of Europe