In view of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the co-organisers, the Council of Europe and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, have carefully assessed the situation and after due consideration regarding the health and safety of the participants, have jointly agreed to postpone the Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society on the theme: “Artificial intelligence – Intelligent politics: Challenges and opportunities for media and democracy”, originally scheduled to take place on 28 and 29 May 2020 in Nicosia, Cyprus, to 22 and 23 October 2020.

We thank all speakers and participants for their understanding and invite them to mark the new dates on their calendars.

Please note that any room booking at the Landmark Nicosia Hotel made with a special rate for Conference participants needs to be cancelled, failing which standard rate will apply.

The Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society Artificial intelligence – Intelligent politics Challenges and opportunities for media and democracy will be held in Nicosia, Cyprus on 28 and 29 May 2020 at the Filoxenia conference center and is co-organized by the Council of Europe and the Republic of Cyprus.  Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society will meet to agree on the required action to address the radical changes brought by the new wave of technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), that have affected the media and the internet environment and, with it, the exercise of Freedom of Expression.

Ministers will also turn their attention to the dangerous back-sliding in the area of safety of journalists and take steps to ensure that the urgency of the situation is matched by an urgency of engagement at the political level. Finally, they will meet with community media representatives and receive a first-hand account of concrete media literacy projects that have contributed to strengthening marginalised communities' participation in community media, and as a result, to enhancing community media itself, along with media pluralism.

The Ministerial Conference will lead up to the adoption of a final declaration and three resolutions that will secure political engagement on a number of priority actions and will set the Council of Europe’s agenda for standard setting activities and for the implementation of existing standards in the area of freedom of expression, for the years following the Ministerial Conference.

The conference will bring together Ministers, international organisations, businesses, technology, academia, civil society and the media in a multi-stakeholder setting.

The Ministerial conference Concept note and Practical information are available now on the Ministerial Conference website. The draft programme and conference documents will be made available soon.