The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative at the University of Delaware Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration and iMEdD have announced plans to host the inaugural Media & Democracy Summit, a new annual gathering that will take place for the first time this year from May 29-31, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware.
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The event will convene a diverse array of journalists, academics, and students from across the globe. Its mission is to foster meaningful dialogue around the crucial role of media in democracy while collectively addressing the challenges that citizens encounter within our lives that are shaped by information and technology.
A selection of confirmed speakers includes CNN senior political analyst and anchor John Avlon, professor, presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author Douglas Brinkley, PBS political commentator and host of “Firing Line” Margaret Hoover, and founder of News Not Noise, Jessica Yellin.
The SNF Ithaca x iMEdD Media & Democracy Summit will be held at the Queen located at 500 N. Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801. The summit is free to attend. Registration for in-person attendance is available at imedd.org/summit. All sessions will be publicly live-streamed; no registration is required to watch the livestream.
“We live in a mediated world. Democracy is at its best when citizens are informed and engaged, politicians help accountable, and policy is reported on in ways so that people can understand their common challenges plainly. Media play essential roles in our lives—from entertainment, to interpersonal connections, and access to essential information. So many challenges we face today, such as political polarization and a fragmented media landscape, means it’s more like multiple mediated public squares rather than some larger sense of collective understanding.”
Timothy Shaffer
SNF Ithaca Director and Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Chair of Civil Discourse, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration
The summit invites attendees to experience engaging keynote speakers and panelists who will share their expertise and insights, stimulate civil discourse with others, and inspire participants to delve deeper into the issues and challenges facing modern democracies. Sessions will cover media ethics and responsibility, media ownership and pluralism, freedom of the press, technological disruptions, and global perspectives on media and democracy.
The summit kicks off on May 29 with the SNF Dialogues open discussion “Consumers or Citizens”, exploring the impact of political marketing on democracy. This public speaking event is part of an event series that the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) launched recently in the U.S, aiming to encourage inclusive discussions that bridge the gap between passive involvement and active, meaningful participation in civic life.
“In today’s complex social landscape, the Media & Democracy Summit serves as a platform for essential conversations between journalists, academics, and the public. By integrating social science and journalism, we aim to address topics including media ethics and responsibility and technological challenges in the digital era, with the overarching goal of supporting an informed citizenry. Organizations like iMEdD and the SNF Ithaca Initiative are dedicated to empowering citizens and strengthening democratic governance. Through collaborative endeavors, our collective aim is to strive for a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive society.”
Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou
iMEdD managing director, SNF Dialogues executive director, and journalist
Open and free to all, the summit is an opportunity to listen, learn, and engage with others on issues that affect us all. Additional speakers continue to be added to the agenda, and all sessions will be publicly live-streamed. Check the summit website at imedd.org/summit for the most up-to-date details.
About the UD Biden School
Established in 1961 and named in 2018 for the University of Delaware’s most distinguished alumnus, the 46th President of the United States, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration prepares students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in research and public service to improve the quality of life in communities around the world. Biden School faculty, staff, students, and alumni create and use interdisciplinary, nonpartisan research, and empirically based analysis to inform effective decision-making and policy and to improve leadership and administration. The Biden School partners with organizations from all sectors to discover innovative and equitable solutions to the critical challenges of our time.
About the SNF Ithaca Initiative
SNF Ithaca, an initiative of the University of Delaware’s Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration, seeks to advance democracy by equipping students with the civil discourse and civic engagement skills necessary to navigate the mediated public square. Supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), SNF Ithaca is named after the home of Odysseus—one of Greek mythology’s greatest heroes. For Odysseus, Ithaca represents not only the beginning of a journey but the ultimate destination. Likewise, the SNF Ithaca Initiative serves as both the beginning of the Biden School students’ journey toward becoming engaged and effective citizens and as the ultimate destination for students across the country to come together and work in partnership to develop policy solutions.
About the SNF Dialogues
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Dialogues aim to develop new ways of thinking, build bridges of cooperation, and encourage creative public dialogue across geographic, social, and cultural limits. Through live debates, events, and rich multimedia content, the SNF Dialogues foster the exchange of ideas, emphasizing the need for citizens to express themselves and communicate with each other, always rooted in the values of equity and diversity.
The SNF Dialogues are free and open to everyone. All discussions and their related content can be found at snfdialogues.org. The SNF Dialogues are curated and moderated by Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou and are held through iMEdD.
In 2024, the Stavros Niarchos foundation (SNF) is excited to introduce a series of open discussions in the coming months through the SNF Dialogues initiative, aiming to encourage inclusive discussions that bridge the gap between passive involvement and active, meaningful participation in civic life. More information