Internews

The sound of dombra and kobyz, traditional Kazakh instruments, echoed through the hall as more than 100 journalists, editors, fact-checkers, researchers and media innovators from across Central Asia gathered in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Before discussions on artificial intelligence, disinformation and digital security filled the agenda, traditional Kazakh melodies set the tone for something deeper than just a conference. The music reminded the participants why they were really there.

3 July 2026, Kyiv — The Media Development Foundation (MDF) and Internews International have presented their annual research on the state of Ukraine’s regional media, examining how the challenges facing local newsrooms have evolved, the financial models they rely on, and the extent to which they remain dependent on donor support.

What happens when public health systems fail to clearly explain medical risks, treatment standards, and epidemic preparedness? In Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, a cross-border team of journalists and doctors decided to step in. Journalists from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan collaborated with doctors practising evidence-based medicine to produce accessible reporting on healthcare issues affecting millions across the region.

Fact-checkers in Tajikistan have been verifying online content and fighting misinformation for years. But today, like their colleagues worldwide, they face a new and particularly formidable adversary: artificial intelligence. AI can mass-produce fake content rapidly, making it both convincing and viral. Against this backdrop, media literacy is no longer just a useful skill—it is now a vital defence against digital scammers, manipulation, and propaganda.

When the “Üidö” (At Home) team from Kyrgyzstan launched their media literacy information campaign, they weren’t even sure if the topic had an audience. It turned out there was one—and a very diverse one at that: from 12-year-old schoolchildren to 73-year-old retirees. People were keen to understand how to distinguish content created by neural networks, why fake-busting tools don’t work, and where to find verified information.

Across Tajikistan, women have found themselves on the front lines of the fight against the consequences of climate change. What’s more, they often have to fight alone, with most men working away as labour migrants. Local journalists are filming stories about these heroines, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. For many years, experts have warned that Tajikistan is being seriously impacted climate change.

Internews International’s Frontline and Investigative Reporting Media in Ukraine (FAIR Media Ukraine), a project funded by the European Union, invites Ukrainian media outlets from eleven frontline regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kyiv) to submit proposals for the Building Stronger Frontline Media and Informed Communities Grants Competition.

On 14 April 2026 Brussels’ Cinema Galeries hosted the international premiere of “The Solitary String” (Zhalgyz Ishek), a documentary that explores the role of traditional music as a vessel for historical memory. Organized by the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) and Internews with the financial support from the European Union, the event showcased how the Kazakh musical tradition of küy served as a vital, wordless channel for truth during centuries of colonial pressure and political censorship.

Brussels, 13 April 2026 — The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) and Internews presented new research findings on foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) in Central Asia at the event “Information Integrity in Central Asia: New Research Findings on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference,” which was opened by Irène Mingasson, Head of Unit, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), European Commission.

“The stomach is smarter than the brain because it knows how to vomit. The brain, however, swallows any old junk”—this phrase is often attributed to Chingiz Aitmatov, and it has practically become the slogan for a new media project in Kyrgyzstan. Despite independent journalists in the republic being forced to leave the profession and flee the country, the new media initiative “Oilon!” (“Think!”) serves as a reminder: critical thinking is the only way to maintain common sense.