RCC hosts Third Annual Conference on Disinformation

Sarajevo - The Western Balkans has unfortunately always been susceptible to divisive narratives that always bring along hatred and violence. As the events unravel it is our constant responsibility to cultivate understanding and awareness of this phenomenon in our region. Good news is that the Western Balkan citizens have understood a detrimental potential of disinformation – as 74% of them agree disinformation poses a security threat to their economies,” said Amer Kapetanovic, Head of the Political Department of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at the opening of the Third Annual Conference on Disinformation, in Sarajevo today. 

The third in a row conference on disinformation has been organised by the RCC in cooperation with the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (CoE Helsinki), and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. It brought together over 100 participants, including key experts, academics, journalists, researchers, representatives of youth organisations from the Western Balkans, students, and practitioners from the region and beyond.

“We are in this effort for the long term, because disinformation is neither an overnight phenomenon nor can it have an overnight solution. The most obvious and important truths and facts are often the hardest to see and talk about. It is therefore very clear that media literacy and lifelong learning are key to combating the scourge,” concluded Kapetanovic. 

Besides Amer Kapetanovic, the event was opened by Andrea Cascone, Adriatic and Western Balkans Director at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Ferdinand Koenig, Head of Communications at the EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Veera Kaarela, Analyst at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. It brought together a number of distinguished speakers in this area from all around WB and EU. The event was moderated by Petra Balazic, RCC Political Advisor. 

After two years of organising these conferences with the aim of raising awareness about the disinformation phenomenon, this year's conference has been somewhat different and focused on a more practical level and capacity building, primarily aimed at youth and students from the Western Balkans, and we are happy that students from across the Western Balkans joined us today. 

More info, including speakers’ quotes:  
https://twitter.com/rccint/status/1531894799644631040 
https://www.rcc.int/download/docs/conference-on-countering-disinformation-agenda.pdf/07cf64d62b4bd40679a64645c8c0c762.pdf 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM1ZO6uPtvY