Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Maria A. Ressa will speak on Pressing Issues on Press Freedom on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24 at the Silliman University Audio-Visual Theater.
Ressa, CEO and president of Rappler Inc., will also relaunch her book How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for our Future, a story about “how an invisible bomb has exploded online that is killing our freedoms”.
Maria Ressa, who will be a Distinguished Fellow at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics starting in the fall this year, has been actively combating disinformation networks, and is one of the leading figures of the Information and Democracy Commission launched by Reporters Without Borders.
The talk on press freedom by the investigative reporter Ressa, to be held during the 122nd founding year of Silliman University, also marks the 50th anniversary of the organizer, UCCP’s The Wednesday Forum.
It will be jointly presented by the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, the SU College of Mass Communication, and the SU Divinity School.
The event will also feature SU Divinity Dean Rev. Van Cliburn Tibus who will share a biblio-theological reflection on freedom, human rights, and democracy.
“The Wednesday Forum wishes to honor its legacy of prophetic witness of the Christian faith in our country, particularly its role during the Martial law, and its continued promotion and advancement of freedom and democracy of our nation,” said Dr. Karl Villarmea, Divinity professor, and one of the organizers of the event.
He added that Glenda Gloria, Rappler executive editor, and who had been covering the UCCP human rights desk since 1987, will be part of Maria Ressa’s team.
Audiences outside Dumaguete can attend the forum online through FB Livestream on The Wednesday Forum Facebook page. (SU Masscom PR)
