The year includes several international events dedicated to press freedom, digital security, and human rights in the online environment. We have gathered them here in a reference calendar: some can be followed online, for free or at low costs, while others are worth considering for future planning, for grants covering conference participation, or simply to stay informed about international discussions in fields that concern us.

 

✦ April

International Journalism Festival, Perugia, Italy, April 15–18, 2026, journalismfestival.com

The largest annual gathering of journalists in Europe reaches its 20th edition. For four days, Perugia becomes the world capital of the press: over 500 speakers, nearly 200 sessions on the future of journalism, press freedom, artificial intelligence in newsrooms, and pressures on independent media. English-language sessions are concentrated on Thursday the 16th, Friday the 17th, and Saturday the 18th of April.

Admission is free, with no ticket and no prior registration required. All sessions (with a few exceptions) are streamed live in real-time and are available later on-demand on the individual session pages.

 

✦ May

World Press Freedom Day — UNESCO Global Conference, Lusaka, Zambia, May 4–5, 2026, unesco.org/en/days/press-freedom

Under the theme “Shaping a Future at Peace,” the global conference organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Government of Zambia brings together press freedom defenders, civil society representatives, journalists, researchers, and policymakers. For the first time, the event is organized immediately before RightsCon 2026 (see below) in the same city.

UNESCO typically broadcasts the plenary sessions of the conference live on its official channels. Check unesco.org for details regarding registration and online access as the event date approaches.

RightsCon 2026, Lusaka, Zambia, May 5–8, 2026, rightscon.org

The largest international gathering dedicated to human rights in the digital age returns to the African continent for the first time since 2019. The 2026 edition, organized by Access Now, focuses on strengthening global solidarity, amplifying perspectives from the Global South, and defending fundamental rights in an increasingly digitized world. The program includes over 550 sessions (dialogues, workshops, roundtables, private meetings) with participants from civil society, governments, the private sector, and the technical community, addressing themes such as freedom of expression, digital surveillance, platform governance, AI, and equitable access to technology.

RightsCon 2026 maintains a hybrid format for the third consecutive year. Dialogue, roundtable, workshop, and private meeting sessions are also available online through the summit’s dedicated platform. Lightning talks and tech demos will be exclusively in person in Lusaka. Registration is required for both options; check rightscon.org/registration for details and costs.

 

✦ September

Privacy Camp, Brussels, Belgium, date to be confirmed, annual autumn edition privacycamp.eu

Organized annually by European Digital Rights (EDRi), Privacy Camp is the reference event for the European community concerned with digital rights and privacy. It brings together activists, researchers, lawyers, and policymakers for debates on the most urgent challenges to online rights. The 2025 edition explored the theme of resilience and resistance in times of deregulation and authoritarianism, a topic more relevant than ever in the context of pressures on GDPR and debates around digital surveillance in the EU. The exact date for 2026 has not yet been announced; follow privacycamp.eu for updates.

Privacy Camp traditionally takes place in a hybrid format with a live online stream. Participation is free in both versions. Note: in the online format, the stream can be followed, but direct interaction with panelists is not available for the virtual audience (organizers prioritize connection with physical participants).

Global Gathering 2026, Estoril, Portugal, September 4–6, 2026, gathering.digitalrights.community

A unique meeting in the global digital rights landscape, organized outdoors with rigorous security and safety protocols, Global Gathering brings together communities from around the world working at the intersection of technology, human rights, and journalism. Participants represent over 120 countries, with more than half coming from the Global South. Themes covered include holistic digital security for civil society, online censorship and surveillance, AI and disinformation, internet freedom, and digital governance policies. Participation is based on an application (deadline: June 30, 2026) and requires active involvement in the field of digital rights or the protection of communities against online attacks.

Global Gathering is designed as an exclusively in-person event. However, organizers have an Equity Fund to financially support participants from resource-limited communities (travel costs, accommodation, visas). If you cannot attend physically, the Team CommUNITY community organizes monthly virtual town halls throughout the year on the Mattermost platform—a way to stay connected with the global digital rights ecosystem.

 

If you are participating in one of these events, write to us at contact@safenarratives.org. We constantly monitor training, networking, and advocacy opportunities relevant to journalists and civic organizations in Romania.