Confirmed Speakers
Many prominent journalists, academics, policy makers and other renowned speakers have taken part in WPFC 2020. See the impressive list of renowned journalists. For the full list of speakers and session information, please check out the conference platform: WPFC2020-digital.com.
Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, specializing in public international law, international criminal law and human rights. Clooney has defended journalists persecuted for their work around the world and previously served as the United Kingdom's Special Envoy for Media Freedom.
Hatice Cengiz
Hatice Cengiz is a Turkish activist, scholar and writer. She was the fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul while retrieving the papers for them to be married. Ever since, she has spoken out openly demanding justice.
Humberto Tan
Humberto Tan is a highly experienced Dutch TV and radio presenter, with a TV career spanning more than 25 years. He hosted a multitude of programmes, ranging from daily news and sports programmes to entertainment shows, as well as a highly successful late night talkshow. Humberto received several prestigious Dutch awards for his work as a presenter.
Nima Elbagir
Nima Elbagir is an award-winning senior international correspondent for CNN based in London. Known for her investigations into human rights abuses, Elbagir was named the 2020 Royal Television Society 'Television Journalist of the Year' and received a duPont-Columbia University Award for her work.
Marietje Schaake
Marietje Schaake, a former member of the European Parliament, is Policy Director of the Cyber Policy Center at Stanford University and President of the CyberPeace Institute.
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor for CNN, was appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and Journalist Safety in April 2015.
Soledad O'Brien
Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions. She anchors and produces 'Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien' and is a correspondent for HBO Real Sports. O’Brien has anchored and reported for shows on CNN, MSNBC and NBC amongst others.
Carole Cadwalladr
Carole Cadwalladr is an investigative journalist, reporter and feature writer for the Guardian and the Observer. Cadwalladr was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on the Cambridge Analytica scandal in cooperation with the New York Times.
Joe Maalouf
Joe Maalouf is a Lebanese journalist and tv presenter. He is famous for showcasing issues which affect public opinion, and addressing sensitive topics. His TV programs focus on uncovering corruption and tackling social and religious issues and are watched by a large Lebanese audience.
Deeyah Khan
Deeyah Khan is a Emmy & Peabody award winning documentary filmmaker. Born to parents of Pashtun (Afghan) and Pakistani origin, the Norwegian filmmaker serves as the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Artistic freedom and Creativity, promoting freedom of creation for artists around the world.
Agnes Binagwaho
Professor Agnes Binagwaho, MD, M(Ped), PhD is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. She previously worked 20 years in public service as well as Minister of Health, and was named among the 100 Most Influential African Women for 2020.
Aslı Erdoğan
Aslı Erdoğan is a Turkish writer and human rights activist. She was a columnist for the Özgür Gündem newspaper, a pro-Kurdish daily, and a member of its advisory board. In her writing she tackles controversial issues such as torture, the Kurdish question and violence against women.
Maria Ressa
Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American investigative journalist, Executive Editor and CEO of Rappler, a Philippine news website that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. She previously worked as a lead investigative reporter and opened and ran CNN’s Manila and Jakarta offices over the course of nearly two decades.
Carmen Aristegui
Carmen Aristegui is one of Mexico's leading journalists and opinion leaders and she is an anchor at CNN en Español. She writes regularly for the opinion section of the periodical Reforma.
Lina Attalah
Lina Attalah is chief editor of the independent online paper Mada Masr, and recently named by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people of 2020.
Irene Zubaida Khan
UN Special Rapporteur to the right to freedom of opinion and expression since 1 August 2020. She teaches at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Former director general of the International Development Law Organisation and secretary general of Amnesty International.
Matthew Caruana Galizia
Matthew Caruana Galizia is an investigative journalist from Malta. He runs the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, dedicated to achieving justice for his mother: the investigative journalist who died in a car bomb attack in Malta in 2017. Twitter / Instagram: @mcaruanagalizia
Jineth Bedoya Lima
Ms Bedoya Lima has reported for more than two decades on armed conflict in her country, Colombia, as well as drug trafficking and women’s rights issues. She is one of the leading voices to denounce sexual violence against women and laureate of the Guillermo Cano Prize 2020.