News – M100 SANSSOUCI COLLOQUIUM

Summary of the 20th M100 Sanssouci Colloquium

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Democracy under Attack. Disinformation Campaigns, AI and the Role of the Media in the 2024 Super Election Year

Thursday, 12 September 2024, Orangery Sanssouci, Potsdam

On 12 September, the 20th M100 Sanssouci Colloquium came to a successful close. The highlight was the presentation of the M100 Media Award to Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo, and Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.
The conference was attended by some 80 journalists and representatives of think tanks and political organisations from across Europe and the US, as well as 19 young journalists from 17 European countries and 20 observers. In the late afternoon, a Special Talk in cooperation with POLITICO and the presentation of the M100 Media Award took place.
Impressions and results of the conference, the M100 Young European Journalists Workshop and the M100 Media Award were shared mainly on LinkedIn.
A detailed summary can be found here.

Special Talk “In the Shadow of the US Elections” with POLITICO

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24 September 2024. The day after the final TV debate between the two presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, four journalists discussed possible scenarios for the US at the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium: Adam Jasser (Deputy Director for News, TVP World, Poland), Tanit Koch (Journalist, The New European, Germany), Jakob Hanke Vela (Senior Correspondent, POLITICO) and Olga Rudenko (Editor-in-Chief, The Kyiv Independent, Ukraine). The discussion took place in cooperation with POLITICO and was moderated by Jürgen Klöckner, Head of Pros and Senior Political Reporter, POLITICO Germany. Two of the central questions were what a possible victory of President Trump or President Harris would mean for Ukraine and how Ukraine views the US elections.

All Speeches from the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium are online!

18 September 2024. All speeches from the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium are now available online in transcribed form:

Opening speech of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium by Dr Anna Wieslander ‘With Russia as a systemic threat, Europe needs a new recipe for peace and prosperity’ (with video)

Welcome address M100 Media Award by Mike Schubert, Lord Mayor of Potsdam

Laudatory speech for Dr Vjosa Osmani Sadriu by Rudolf Scharping, former German Federal Minister

Acceptance speech by Dr Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo

Laudatory speech for Donald Tusk by Joachim Gauck, former German Federal President

Acceptance speech by Professor Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland, on behalf of Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland

Review of the M100SC – The Day

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17 September 2024. Short recap of the conference part of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium ‘Democracy under Attack’ on 14 September with around 80 leading journalists, scientists and representatives of think tanks from across Europe and the USA: What happened that day? What did the participants take away from the conference? What were the topics?

The video was produced by the Agentur Medienlabor.

“With Russia as a Systemic Threat, Europe Needs a New Recipe for Peace and Prosperity”

Opening Speech by Dr Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council, Sweden, on 14 September in Potsdam

“There is a belief that a wait-and-see-how-it-goes approach to Russia could be beneficial for a peaceful path ahead,” said Anna Wieslander in her opening speech at the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium last Thursday. “Such a conviction is based on considerations such as: Is there really a danger in hoping for the best, signalling a desire for dialogue and détente, regardless of Russia’s behaviour? Isn’t this simply responsible leadership, an attempt to avoid escalating the conflict, to open up to communication and mutual understanding and to scale back military aspects?
Unfortunately, no. In fact, inaction and hesitation could accelerate aggressive behaviour. In this regard, too, the answer to the question lies in recognising Russia as a systemic threat. Misperceptions or misjudgements can have major repercussions, as the Munich Agreement of 1938 taught us.”
Europe must “develop a long-term strategy beyond the immediate situation. Europe needs to realize that yes, Russia will geographically always be at the border of Europe, but no, it is not inevitably a part of Europe or necessarily included in our security order. Europe should instead balance against Russia.”
You can read and watch Anna Wieslander’s full speech here.

“We combat extremism by showing the third narrative”

Luai Ahmed, a Yemeni journalist, author and content creator who has been living in Sweden since 2014, gave an impressive keynote address at the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium. In his speech, he described his journey from hating Israel to fighting anti-Semitism and how to defend democracy on social media. He has since become a fierce critic of radical Islam and authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. The article has also been published on ZEIT Online.

My name is Luai Ahmed. I am a 31-year-old journalist and content creator from Sana’a, the capital city of Yemen. Today, I use my platform on social media to fight Islamic extremism, anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia and sexism.
I am a part of an online movement called “Builders of the Middle East”. We have a channel in English, where I am a host, a channel in Arabic, and one in Hebrew. These channels are built to tell stories of humanity, and of human beings. Our team is made up of Arabs and Jews who are tired of extremism, violence and hatred, and we are doing everything in our power to deradicalize the Middle East.
Today, I have Jewish co-workers who I deeply love. I have Jewish friends who mean the world to me. But that wasn’t always the case.
read more “We combat extremism by showing the third narrative”

“An unwavering Commitment to democratic Values”

Potsdam, 13 September 2024. Yesterday evening, the 20th M100 Sanssouci Colloquium came to a close with the presentation of the M100 Media Award at the Orangery Palace in Sanssouci, Potsdam. The prestigious European award went to Dr Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo, and to Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland. The prize honours them as indispensable voices for a democratic, free society in Europe and as pioneers for a modern, stable Europe.
Professor Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland, represented Donald Tusk, who was unable to attend in person.
The evening was hosted by television journalist and member of the M100 Advisory Board, Astrid Frohloff.

Joachim Gauck and Rudolf Scharping hold laudations for Donald Tusk and Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu

9. September 2024. Former German President Joachim Gauck and former Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping will deliver the laudatory speeches at the M100 Media Award ceremony for Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu. The M100 Media Award ceremony will take place on 12 September from 19:00 in the Orangery Sanssouci and will be streamed live on www.m100potsdam.org/en.

To our great regret, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had to cancel his attendance at the M100 Media Award for scheduling reasons.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk is also unable to attend the award ceremony in person due to important commitments in the country, which have been postponed to 12 September this year. Professor Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland, will accept the award on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Just one week to go!

5 September 2024. One week from today, the 20th M100 Sanssouci Colloquium will take place in Potsdam. Under the title ‘Democracy under Attack’, we expect around 80 media and opinion leaders from across Europe and the US to discuss the impact of disinformation, Europe’s ability to defend itself, the transatlantic partnership, the state of democracy, the opportunities and dangers of artificial intelligence, and the role and responsibilities of journalists in an increasingly complex and complicated world.
The following parts of the programme will be streamed live on the M100 website:
The opening speech by Anna Wieslander (10:00 – 10:30h), Director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council, the Special Talk on the upcoming US elections in cooperation with POLITICO (17:30 – 18:30h) and the presentation of the M100 Media Award (19:00 – 20:30H)

M100 organises Reporter Slam in Potsdam for the first time

Stage show with six international journalists on 11 September in Potsdam’s FreiLand

On Wednesday 11 September, Germany’s most entertaining stage show with journalists will be premiering in Potsdam: the Reporter Slam. Six reporters from different European countries will put themselves and their reports to the judgement of the audience at Potsdam’s freiLand cultural centre. Who can best present their own reportage, talk about their research and captivate the audience? The use of photos, videos, music, etc. is expressly permitted.
At the end, the audience will choose the new Slam champion. He or she will qualify for next year’s final in Berlin in January.

The event starts at 8pm, doors open at 7pm. Tickets are available at the door or in advance here.