How will the information landscape in Europe’s enlargement countries change by 2036—and what consequences will this have for democracy and social cohesion? Connecting Futures, a forward-looking initiative that brings together twenty young journalists, fact-checkers, content creators, and digital innovators from the EU enlargement countries, including the Western Balkans, as well as Georgia, Moldova, Türkiye, and Ukraine.
Through a series of foresight workshops, virtual exchanges, and a study tour to Berlin, participants explore how information ecosystems may evolve over the coming decade and develop ideas to strengthen democratic resilience and information integrity. The project is implemented together with Aspen Central Europe, Aspen Kyiv, Aspen Romania, Aspen UK, and Aspen Digital and will culminate in a policy publication and a lasting alumni network.
This project is funded by the Global Fund of Aspen International Partners.
Introducing the Participants of the Cohort of 2026
At a time when false information travels faster than facts, democratic societies face unprecedented challenges. Disinformation, foreign information manipulation, and rapidly evolving technologies are fundamentally reshaping the information environment and placing new responsibilities on those who inform, engage, and influence the public.
To address these challenges, Connecting Futures: Information Integrity in Europe’s Next Decade brings together twenty journalists, investigative reporters, fact-checkers, social media influencers, and digital content creators from all ten EU enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine). Together, they represent leading national media outlets, independent newsrooms, public broadcasters, and digital platforms, reaching a combined audience of more than 4.4 million people. The cohort reflects a remarkable diversity of expertise, spanning investigative journalism, media literacy, science communication, civic engagement, and digital storytelling, while sharing a common commitment to strengthening democratic resilience and fostering trustworthy information ecosystems.
Over the coming months, participants will engage in a program that combines strategic foresight, values-based dialogue, and cross-border exchange. Rather than focusing solely on today’s challenges, they will explore how information ecosystems may evolve over the next decade, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and develop alternative scenarios and communication strategies to strengthen information integrity and democratic resilience. Through four online sessions and a study visit to Berlin, the cohort will examine the political, technological, and societal forces shaping Europe’s information landscape in 2036.
Connecting Futures is a 2026 Aspen Global Fund project led by Aspen Germany in cooperation with Aspen Institute Central Europe, Aspen Institute Kyiv, Aspen Institute Romania, Aspen Institute UK, and Aspen Digital. By combining regional expertise, technological insight, and the Aspen tradition of values-based dialogue, the project creates a collaborative space where emerging media and digital leaders can learn from one another, build lasting cross-border networks, and develop innovative approaches to strengthening Europe’s information ecosystem.
Kick-Off Event
Europe’s information landscape is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, foreign information manipulation, and declining public trust are reshaping how citizens access and evaluate information. Against this backdrop, twenty journalists, editors, fact-checkers, content creators, and influencers from the EU enlargement region came together for the official kick-off of Connecting Futures: Information Integrity in Europe‘s Next Decade. The online session marked the beginning of a collaborative foresight process exploring how Europe’s information environment could evolve by 2036.
To open the discussion, participants shared personal stories about the role information has played in their lives by presenting an object that symbolized their relationship with it. The conversation highlighted how information – accurate or misleading – has shaped careers, communities, and individual experiences, underscoring why protecting information integrity is both a professional and a personal responsibility.
The session continued with interactive spectrum exercises on media freedom, public trust, artificial intelligence, and the future of Europe’s information space. While perspectives differed across countries and professions, common challenges quickly emerged, creating a strong sense of shared purpose.
Over the coming months, participants will meet in a series of online foresight workshops before gathering in Berlin for a study visit. Together, they will develop scenarios for Europe’s information landscape in 2036 and formulate recommendations for strengthening democratic resilience.
Funded by the Aspen International Partners Global Fund 2026, Connecting Futures brings together twenty outstanding young media professionals from the Western Balkans, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye to strengthen information integrity through cross-border dialogue, foresight, and long-term collaboration.
