Trust Conference to return for an in-person event in 2022

The Thomson Reuters Foundation’s annual flagship event, Trust Conference, will return in-person for its 10th year on 26 and 27 October 2022 in London. 

Trust Conference is dedicated to tackling the world’s most complex societal issues and has a specific focus on matters of media freedom, digital rights, socio-economic inclusion and climate change. Speakers will include Chief International Anchor at CNN, Christiane Amanpour CBE; Deputy Chair of the High-Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom and Co-Chair of Debevoise’s International Dispute Resolution Group, Catherine Amirfar; and UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan. 

The conference attracts a large international audience, with last year’s forum bringing together some 800 delegates from diverse sectors representing more than 75 countries. Following online events in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the conference will return in-person to the heart of London, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.  

Delegates will have access to two full days of keynote speeches, panel discussions and spotlights on innovative approaches to tackling the most critical issues facing society. The first day of the conference will focus on the surging threats to media freedom and digital rights, as we see international conflicts intensifying and the world’s growing exploration into new digital frontiers such as the Metaverse. The second day addresses the need to build more inclusive and sustainable economies, exploring topics including how to overcome the barriers to switching to green economies, labour rights, and how to incentivise businesses to embed social issues into corporate and investment practices. There will also be an opportunity to hear from our 2022 Changemakers. The Changemakers programme brings together some of the most inspiring pioneers and innovators from across the globe, committed to developing concrete solutions to pressing human rights issues in alignment with Trust Conference themes.”¯ 

Other speakers in the distinguished line-up include the founder of Bellingcat, Eliot Higgins; author of Gomorrah: Italy’s Other Mafia, Roberto Saviano; Reporter-at-Large for Folha de São Paulo and Associate Researcher at Columbia University, Patricia Campos Mello; and Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, Joel Simon. The website will continue to be updated with new speakers as they are announced and more details of how and when to get tickets will follow soon. 

Antonio Zappulla, Chief Executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: “In an era defined by converging global crises and deepening polarization, access to free and independent media, digital rights and robust legal frameworks within which power can operate are existential imperatives for the protection of our democracies, our human rights and our planet.  

“Trust Conference provides a critical platform for collaboration and thought leadership from world-leading experts, innovators and activists at the forefront of global efforts to build inclusive and sustainable economies, free societies and fair institutions. We deploy our unique expertise at the cross-section of media and the law to curate the conference, which is bolstered by the strength of the global networks we regularly convene to inspire collective leadership and find scalable solutions to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies, and promote human rights.  

“I am thrilled to be coming together again in person this year in London, with a truly exceptional line-up of speakers to hear from.” 

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