The Foreign Policy Centre (FPC), the Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ) and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) are delighted to announce that the third edition of the UK Media Freedom Forum will take place on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 March 2027, in partnership with City St George’s, University of London.

Bringing together journalists, policymakers, legal experts, academics, civil society organisations and international institutions, the two-day Forum will provide a space to examine the most pressing threats to media freedom and develop practical responses to strengthen protections for journalists and independent media.

We are delighted to have the continued support of RPC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the UK Media Freedom Forum 2027, and to welcome RiskPal as a new sponsor for this year’s edition. Their support will help make the Forum possible, with further partner and sponsor announcements anticipated in the coming months.

Register your interest to be among the first to receive access to conference registration, alongside updates on the programme, speakers and other announcements in the lead-up to the Forum.

About the UK Media Freedom Forum

Media freedom faces an increasingly complex range of challenges, shaped by the growing interconnection between domestic and global political, legal and information environments. Journalists and independent media are confronting legal intimidation, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), transnational repression, online abuse, disinformation, foreign interference and the rapid development of artificial intelligence, alongside continuing questions about the safety and long-term sustainability of public-interest journalism.

The UK Media Freedom Forum 2027 will bring domestic and international perspectives together to examine these challenges and identify practical legal, regulatory and policy responses.

Themes will include SLAPPs and lawfare; transnational repression; foreign influence and foreign agents laws; misinformation, disinformation and AI; media literacy; democratic resilience; threats against journalists; and the sustainability and future of local and public-interest journalism.

The Forum will also consider how domestic and international mechanisms for protecting media freedom are working in practice. In particular, against the backdrop of the UK’s return as Co-Chair of the Media Freedom Coalition alongside Finland, discussions will explore how the UK and other states can translate political commitments into meaningful protections for journalists and independent media, including through institutions such as the United Nations, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

More than simply identifying the challenges, the Forum aims to bring those shaping policy together with those working on the front line of journalism, law and human rights to develop concrete, evidence-based recommendations and strengthen collaboration across sectors.

If you have any questions or queries about the Forum, please contact: events@fpc.org.uk.