Earlier this month, in Lillehammer, Norway, the World Expression Forum 2026 hosted a three-day event filled with truly pressing discussions concerning the erosion of democratic structures, the bravery of publishers operating under duress, and the persistent, arduous task of preserving open civic spaces. This three-day gathering, dedicated to the principle of free expression, was confidently themed "The Freedom to Disagree."
However, certain persistent questions lingered with me on my journey home from the forum: precisely who is currently able to exercise that freedom? And for what ultimate purpose?
Globally, a powerful coalition of conservative politicians, social media platform owners, and media entrepreneurs has become adept at speaking the language of dissent. They present themselves as rebels challenging a corrupt establishment while systematically dismantling the very institutions that enable genuine disagreement. They pollute public discourse with false information, automated accounts, and prejudiced narratives, effectively turning the vocabulary of freedom into one of their most potent weapons.
Against this backdrop, WEXFO stands out as a venue where individuals from around the world, who have personally experienced these developments and formulated counter-strategies, can converge.
Among the speakers was Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, who has endured politically motivated charges in the Philippines for years. She spoke with the authority of someone who has witnessed a democracy's internal collapse, not through sudden upheaval, but via a process of "a thousand cuts"—a slow hollowing out of every system people rely on to distinguish truth from falsehood. Her media company, *Rappler*, has responded defiantly by building an independent technical infrastructure that liberates institutions from the control of major platforms. Additionally, Ressa’s forthcoming book, *The Fight Back* (scheduled for October 2026), will outline practical steps citizens can take to safeguard democracy.
Concurrently, the Prix Voltaire shortlist, announced by Jessica Sänger, who heads the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, made the stakes both tangible and deeply personal. This year’s nominees included publishers from Palestine, Egypt, Russia, the Philippines, and Thailand, each continuing their vital work despite facing intimidation or persecution.
What aspirations, needs, and opportunities do the next generation of publishers, authors, and human rights activists possess when confronted with this challenge? To address this query, my colleagues from IPA, PEN International, and I organized a workshop titled “The Future of Publishing: Making Space for Young Voices.”
The IPA's youngest-ever President made a compelling business case for inclusivity, arguing that young professionals are uniquely positioned to "recognize the potential in stories that maybe an older reader would miss." Ege Dündar, the youngest board member of PEN International, drew from his work connecting young writers across 90 countries, offering a memorable image of solidarity: “hands interlocked, pulling one another out of despair.”
My primary insight from the workshop is this: while there are numerous initiatives worldwide supporting emerging writers, publishers, and cultural figures—ranging from global poetry slam networks to peer-led writing communities in the UK, literary home concerts in Kyiv, and young publishing networks in Germany—what is lacking is a cohesive link between them. When best practices are not shared, and resources and opportunities are not pooled, momentum inevitably dissipates within national or institutional silos.
This is precisely the void that the Young Voices Network aims to fill, not as another standalone program, but as an interconnected system of existing networks. Our plans for the coming months include: conducting a mapping exercise to identify and link current young voices initiatives across Europe and beyond; establishing a newsletter to share opportunities and information from various partner organizations (sign up [here](https://www.buchmesse.de/en/young-voices-network)); and hosting a dedicated session at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026. Our overarching goal is to enable those already engaged in this work to discover one another, learn from each other, and collaborate effectively.
Is “The Freedom to Disagree” the most appropriate priority for this moment? Only if we are candid about the inherent imbalance. The forces currently misusing that freedom are organized, well-funded, and operate in unison. Therefore, the response from publishers, writers, and cultural institutions cannot afford to remain fragmented.
A publishing ecosystem that genuinely amplifies diverse voices, connects emerging talent across borders, and firmly resists coordinated disinformation does not arise by chance. It is meticulously built, to borrow Ege’s powerful imagery, by young voices and established institutions interlocking their hands.