Journalismfund attended ZEG Festival in Tbilisi which took place last weekend. One message stood out clearly: independent journalism in Georgia and beyond needs support. Now more than ever.

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#ZEGFEST #ZEG2025 #ZEGStorytellingFestival @zegfest.bsky.social

At #ZEG2025, @jodieginsberg.bsky.social spoke with @caoilfhionn.bsky.social‬, Batumelebi.ge’s Irma Dimitradze, and journalist and Nobel laureate @mariaressa.bsky.social about Georgia’s only jailed journalist, Mzia Amaghlobeli.

#ZEGFEST #ZEGStorytellingFestival

“We at CPJ have a lot of experience working on wrongful detentions. Those three people know from experience what it’s like. They all have a loved one currently sitting in a jail in Georgia,” CPJ’s CEO @jodieginsberg.bsky.social said at #ZEG2025 with Katie Danelia, Sandro Tskhadadze + Nata Koridze.

“Dictators understand our importance. That’s why they hunt us. That’s why they criminalize us. That’s why they lock us up. And that’s why they jumped for joy when Trump cut our budget.”
Nicola Careem of recently defunded RFE/RL, with Paul Cethwynd of AFP at #ZEG2025.

“Not all minds are captured in this country.”
@irmadimitradze.bsky.social on the fight for press freedom in Georgia and why it matters far beyond its borders, in conversation with @mariaressa.bsky.social, @caoilfhionn.bsky.social, and @jodieginsberg.bsky.social at #ZEG2025.

“Discomfort can be productive.”
Dr. Erzsébet Barát on why true solidarity means resisting the urge for easy answers and instead learning to live with the discomfort of ambiguity, vulnerability, and difference in the fight against the patriarchy. #ZEG2025

“Privacy is the foundation of your ability to craft who you are,” Christopher Wylie on why you should think twice before handing over your data. From "The Elephant in the Algorithm" convo with @aiannucci.bsky.social, Adam Pincus & @alixdunn.com. #ZEG2025

“Can I do one more Lebedev?”

Paul Caruana Galizia, @edcaesar.bsky.social & @oliverbullough.bsky.social trade anecdotes on Lord of Siberia Evgeny Lebedev: his diets, hobbies, bugbears. Stories of oligarchy must reach a wide audience, says Galizia. To draw people in, start with the absurd. #ZEG2025

1/2 On the second day of #ZEG2025, Sam Gill talked about what comes next for philanthropy:

“The question isn’t whether we’re in crisis — we are. So what’s the opportunity in desolation?”

Giorgi Gigashvili took us through how classical music is a powerful voice of resilience and defiance for Georgia’s future — where art meets activism. #ZEG2025 #KeysOfDefiance #MusicAsResistance

“We relied so heavily on USAID — but every protein bar distributed had to have a US flag? Unshackle us. We’re done. Maybe it’s cleansing time. Either way, now we diversify. And bring in people who are actually interested in the aid, not the PR.”
Seema Jilani on the future of aid at #ZEG2025

“Truth is the friction, the gravity, that allows you to stand up. When there is no truth, the best spectacle wins.”
Yale historian @timothysnyder.bsky.social‬, joining #ZEG2025 online, on why truth is democracy’s foundation.

“In Haiti, people are looking for ‘glory days’ — and the glory days [back then] was a dictatorship.”
Garry Pierre-Pierre on how authoritarian nostalgia is weaponized at a #ZEG2025 panel alongside @antelava.bsky.social‬ and Jillian Green, moderated by @julieposetti.bsky.social‬ .

“We live in a time where AI is sold to us as the major revolution — and we need to challenge that narrative. It’s a narrative sold to us by the AI companies themselves and we can’t just take it at face value.”
Clém Pouré @clembezard.bsky.social at #ZEG2025.

“In Europe, satire is seen as a political tool, to make changes... In America, it’s more of a pressure release valve – we can all laugh together at this idiot,” New Yorker editor Susan Morrison on Trump and the power of satire, speaking at #ZEG2025.