Eurispes in Sofia, Bulgaria, for the Democracy & Information Festival: Secretary General Marco Ricceri among the leading voices in the international debate on Peace Literacy organised by EAVI
On 3 November at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, experts, civil society and students will come together to discuss media literacy, artificial intelligence and democracy
The Eurispes Foundation will take part in the first edition of the Democracy & Information Festival, taking place on Tuesday 3 November 2026, from 10.00 to 18.00, at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’. The event, organised by EAVI (European Association for Viewers Interests) and co-funded by the European Union, brings together experts, civil society, students and citizens to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s information ecosystem.
Among the day’s key participants is the Secretary General of Eurispes, Marco Ricceri, a speaker on the panel Peace Literacy: Rethinking Media Literacy Beyond Borders, scheduled from 10.30 to 12.00 (ninety minutes, twenty of which will be devoted to discussion with the audience). Also taking part in the discussion are Paolo Celot, founder and director of EAVI; Tapio Varis, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tampere and former holder of the UNESCO Chair in Global e-Learning; and Maarit Jaakkola, Professor of Journalism and co-director of Nordicom at the University of Gothenburg.
The session addresses peace literacy, global citizenship and intercultural dialogue, with the aim of rethinking the role of media literacy as a means of fostering mutual understanding, strengthening democratic values and promoting peaceful coexistence between societies, starting from a reassessment of certain fundamental concepts. Ricceri’s participation confirms Eurispes’ commitment to the European debate on the relationship between information, democracy and social cohesion, at a time when disinformation and new technologies raise crucial questions about the quality of the public sphere.
The day’s programme
The festival continues with the panel Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword for Democracy (12.30–14.00), focusing on the effects of AI on disinformation, electoral integrity, public trust and citizens’ ability to make informed choices, followed by the session Big Tech and Digital Wellbeing: Who Shapes Our Reality? (15.00–16.00), centred on the role of digital platforms, institutions, young people and civil society in building healthier online environments. EAVI’s Media Literacy Booth, open to visitors from 10.00 to 16.00, will showcase projects, campaigns, educational resources and practical tools on media and AI literacy, digital wellbeing and digital parenting. Closing the day, from 16.30 to 18.00, is the Youth Hackathon: Getting Real with AI, an interactive workshop in which young people will develop ideas and solutions for the responsible, inclusive and human-centred use of artificial intelligence.
For further information: https://eavi.eu/
