Journalism and technology under discussion at the Gabo Festival in collaboration with the EU-LAC Foundation

The EU-LAC Foundation supported several sessions on journalism and technology during the 2026 Gabo Journalism Festival, held from 24 to 26 July in Bogotá, Colombia. The collaboration with the Gabo Festival helped foster exchanges among journalists from the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Under the theme “Here we are, here we tell our stories”, the 2026 Gabo Festival brought together more than 250 guests from 37 countries for dozens of discussions, workshops, performances, exhibitions and experiences aimed at reflecting on the present moment and reaffirming the power of journalism, culture and creativity to imagine possible futures.

With the support of the EU-LAC Foundation, Zako Sapey-Triomphe, Head of Emerging Technologies at Libération (France), delivered the masterclass “How to Develop Alternative Information Technologies through Journalism”. Drawing on personal experiences and specific projects, the masterclass explored how to create greater independence within the information ecosystem and strengthen the role of journalism in the face of contemporary transformations. Aimed at journalists, media directors and entrepreneurs, researchers and interested members of the public, the session provided tools and perspectives for critically examining the future of information.

“In the face of the growing power of technology, the media have a role to play in this struggle: developing methods, systems and technologies that allow us, collectively, to reclaim critical thinking and access to quality information. That is the foundation of any democratic society,” said Sapey-Triomphe.

The EU-LAC Foundation also contributed to the collaborative panel “Technological Independence and Infrastructure for Journalism”, organised by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. The session considered how journalism can become more resilient, independent and better prepared for the future.

Rather than continuing to “patch up” today’s challenges, this interactive discussion explored a “build, don’t patch” approach to strengthening journalism through shared infrastructure. The panel examined how shared cloud services, secure data environments and interoperable tools can help news organisations develop greater resilience, autonomy and long-term sustainability.