# Monaco Leads European Debate on Disinformation and Journalists' Safety in Strasbourg > The Principality has opened a two-day Council of Europe conference that brings together journalists, young people and institutions to tackle disinformation and defend press freedom. - Source: Monaco Day - Canonical URL: https://monacoday.com/en/article/monaco-leads-european-debate-on-disinformation-and-journalists-safety-in-strasbourg - Author: Morning Week Newsroom - Section: Society - Published: 2026-11-09T12:33:15.913Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T12:33:15.913Z - Tags: Monaco, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, disinformation, press freedom, journalists - French edition: https://monacoday.com/article/monaco-leads-european-debate-on-disinformation-and-journalists-safety-in-strasbourg --- Monaco has opened a two-day conference at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, bringing together journalists, young people and European institutions to confront disinformation, defend press freedom and strengthen democratic institutions. Photo: Riviera Radio The event, titled Youth Facing Disinformation: Why Journalists Matter, is one of the final initiatives of Monaco's presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. It forms part of the Council's wider Journalists Matter campaign, which aims to improve the safety of journalists and protect the conditions in which independent reporting can thrive. ## A voice for young people Opening the discussions, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Monaco's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Chair of the Committee of Ministers, stressed that young people should not be treated as a future promise but as a present force in democratic life. "Youth is not merely a promise for the future; it is already a force in the present," she told participants. Her message was clear: young people should not only be taught about democracy but given a meaningful role in shaping it. Their concerns, ambitions and proposals must be heard, while education and critical thinking remain essential tools for distinguishing reliable information from manipulation. "Protecting our democracies does not mean making decisions for young people, but making them with young people," she said. ## Freedom of expression in a digital world Mattias Guyomar, President of the European Court of Human Rights, addressed the delicate balance between protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding other fundamental rights in an increasingly digital public square. "The Court has already recognised that the ability of individuals to express themselves on the internet represents an unprecedented tool for freedom of expression. Unprecedented, but not without limits," he said. He warned that the same technologies that expand participation can also be exploited to attack democratic institutions and the values on which they rest. "You can count on us. The Court will stand firm," Guyomar concluded. ## Why journalism matters now The conference comes at a time when journalists face mounting pressure from online harassment, intimidation and the rapid spread of misleading information. The growth of artificial intelligence and shifting news habits among younger audiences have added new questions about how credible reporting can maintain public trust. Monday's high-level discussions will be followed by workshops on Tuesday designed to help young participants develop practical responses to the challenges facing journalism and democratic debate. The goal is not only to identify the dangers of disinformation but to explore how education, responsible communication and independent journalism can address them. For Monaco, the gathering offers a chance to end its Council of Europe presidency with a focus on a longer-term challenge: strengthening democratic resilience by involving the next generation directly in the conversation. --- Originally published by Monaco Day. Free to cite with attribution and a link to https://monacoday.com/en/article/monaco-leads-european-debate-on-disinformation-and-journalists-safety-in-strasbourg.