The Global Investigative Journalism Conference is the world’s largest international gathering of investigative reporters. The conferences are held every 18 to 24 months. Since the first gathering in Copenhagen in 2001, they have brought together nearly 4,000 journalists from 100 countries. Later conferences were held in Copenhagen (2003), Amsterdam (2005), Toronto (2007), Lillehammer (2008), Geneva (2010), and Kiev (2011). Rio de Janeiro will be the 8th GIJC, and the first in the southern hemisphere.
The GIJCs are overseen and co-sponsored by the Global Investigative Journalism Network, in partnership with its national member organizations. The conferences are widely credited with playing a key role in the rapid global expansion of investigative reporting over the past decade. By focusing on skills and training, they have helped spread state-of-the-art investigative reporting, data journalism, and cross-border collaboration around the world.
Journalists who have attended the global conferences have returned home and made a major impact on such issues as corruption, health care, and the environment. They have gone on to found investigative centers, direct I-teams at major newspapers and television stations, collaborate with colleagues worldwide, and train the next generation of investigative reporters.
This year, GIJC13 is not one conference but three: the 8th Global Investigative Journalism Conference; Brazil’s 8th Abraji International Investigative Journalism Congress, sponsored by Abraji; and the 5th Latin American Investigative Journalism Conference (COLPIN), sponsored by the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS). Here’s a look at the sponsors of each conference:
The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN)
The Global Investigative Journalism Network is the world’s premier international association of investigative reporting organizations. The Network’s membership includes 90 nonprofits and NGOs in 40 countries. GIJN’s missions include sponsoring global and regional conferences, training, and promoting best practices in investigative and data journalism. GIJN was founded in 2003 when more than 300 journalists gathered for the second Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Copenhagen. Membership is open to non-profit media organizations that support investigative or data journalism. If your organization is interested in joining, contact contact us at GIJN for guidelines.
The Institute for Press and Society (IPYS)
The Institute for Press and Society (El Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, or IPYS) is one of Latin America’s leading media NGOs. Based in Lima, IPYS does trainings, monitors and lobbies for press freedom, and sponsors awards and conferences. Each year IPYS sponsors, with Transparency International, COLPIN, Latin America’s investigative journalism conference, which draws some 200 journalists from a dozen countries, where it gives out a coveted investigative reporting award.
The Brazilian Association of Investigation Journalism (ABRAJI)
The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo, or ABRAJI) is one of the world’s leading associations of investigative reporters. Now 10 years old with more than 2000 members, ABRAJI has trained thousands of reporters and works to expand freedom of information and protect journalists in Brazil. Each year ABRAJI sponsors Brazil’s investigative journalism congress, which attracts hundreds of journalists and journalism students.
