Photo credits: Giorgio Giamberini and Irene Oddo
As news arrives about the possible suspension of U.S. aid to Ukraine, we send a message of unwavering support to Ukraine and to journalists reporting from the war in that country. From day one, both the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists and the Croatian journalists’ association have stood with our colleagues in Ukraine—we have sent all available assistance, and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has established six solidarity centers for journalists. We are especially pleased that at the Voices Festival, we hosted Ukrainian journalist Valeriia Muskharina and Lina Kushch, Secretary General of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NSJU), who spoke at the festival about key issues journalists face in war conditions. 
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, print media in eastern and southern Ukraine have become crucial for residents of war-affected areas. Printed newspapers have become almost the only source of verified information with television and radio channels under attack and controlled by the aggressor. Local journalists work under challenging conditions, often without electricity or internet, but they continue to fulfill their mission—to inform people. Lina Kushch spoke about how local journalists operate. During the Voices Festival, at Voices Cinema, we had the opportunity to watch the documentary On the Frontline, which portrays the daily life of journalists in war-affected areas. In Kharkiv, a city that lost electricity after a Russian attack, the printing press runs for only twenty minutes to print newspapers. Journalists then travel to the most remote villages, where newspapers are often the only way for people to get the latest news. The film illustrates the courage and dedication of journalists who risk their lives to uphold the right to truth. 
Lina Kushch also presented a psychological support program for journalists during the war. Journalistic work requires constant presence, working under stressful deadlines, and dealing with traumatic stories. In war conditions, emotional exhaustion and professional burnout become even more pronounced. The Journalist Solidarity Centers provide psychological assistance and support to colleagues reporting from the most challenging areas, helping them maintain their mental health and continue their work. 
Kushch also introduced the work of the Network of Journalist Solidarity Centers. This initiative of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, implemented in collaboration with the EFJ and UNESCO and supported by Japan, has provided assistance to more than 4,000 journalists, both Ukrainian and international. The centers offer safety, logistical support, equipment, and resources to journalists reporting daily from the field. 
At Voices, colleagues from across Europe—Germany, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Belarus, Austria, Greece, Portugal, and North Macedonia—expressed solidarity with their Ukrainian peers. Together, we showed that they are not alone in this fight, and that we stand with Ukraine! 
Finally, we share words from our colleague Valeriie Muskharina’s review of the festival, thanking her for making our festival a place of journalism and solidarity.
“Life cannot be a collection of events; it must be narrated.”
“These words, written in capital letters on the festival wall at Voices – European Festival of Journalism and Media Literacy, perfectly explain what has happened in Zagreb, Croatia. We didn’t just talk about news, journalism, and media literacy, but also about how they shape reality, how stories reshape society, and how truth fights for its place amidst the endless flow of disinformation. The festival participants—journalists, editors, media researchers, and engaged individuals—spent three days discussing what defines journalism today. Artificial intelligence, election campaigns, attacks on social media, economic models of the press, journalist safety, EU media legislation—these topics echoed in various corners of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb. And the more we talked, the stronger the feeling became: today’s world changes every second, and we must keep up. Speed has become one of the main requirements for journalism, but at the same time, it’s most significant challenge. Because in the pursuit of efficiency, it is easy to lose the most essential thing—credibility. Journalism does not operate in a vacuum; it influences elections, politics, public opinion, and people’s lives. For me, this event was significant not only because of the topics discussed but also because of the people. I spent these days in the warm company of Lina Kushch, Barys Haretski, and other wonderful colleagues from different European countries. A special thanks to the European Federation of Journalists – EFJ team, whom I have already had the partial honor of meeting, for the flawless organization! The festival has ended, but the questions it raised remain. How do you tell stories so that people truly hear you? How can journalism be not just a source of news but a space for critical thinking? How do we stop the wave of disinformation that is destroying society from within? Today, the media either defend the truth or become a manipulation tool. I returned from Zagreb to Brussels with a clear awareness that journalism carries great responsibility. The responsibility is to tell stories in a way that is read and understood. Writing is not for algorithms—it is for people. Defend the truth, even when it is dangerous. Most importantly, remember that words have power, but that power depends on who uses them and how.”
Thank you, Valeriia.
