Speakers from five continents to address World Newspaper Congress

Organised by WAN-IFRA, the global organisation of the world's newspapers and news publishers, the Congress and Editors Forum, to be held from 2 to 5 September next, is expected to bring together more than 1200 newspaper publishers, chief editors and other senior executives from more than 100 countries.

First confirmed speakers include:

• Carlos Fernando Lindenberg Neto, CEO, Rede Gazeta, Brazil
  
• Michael Golden, vice chairman The New York Times Company and former publisher of the IHT, USA
  
• Tomas Brunegård, CEO and President, Stampen AB, Sweden
  
• Gregory Hywood, CEO Fairfax, Australia
  
• Trevor Ncube, deputy executive chairman, Mail & Guardian, South Africa
  
• Laura Evans, chief experience officer, Washington Post, USA
  
• Mohamad K. Alayyan, publisher & chairman, United Jordan Press, Jordan
  
• Pichai Chuensuksawadi, editor-in-chief, Post Publishing - Bangkok Post, Thailand
  
• Florian Bauer, CEO, Vocatus, Germany
  
• Dipankar Das Purkayastha, ABP, CEO and President, India
  
• Rainer Esser, CEO, Zeit, Germany
  
• Juan Señor, partner, Innovation International Media Consulting Group

This year's event takes the theme "Shaping the Future of the Newspaper." Sessions will cover topics that are crucial to publishers and editors who are looking for print and digital success:

• Around the world in 60 Minutes - trends from key regions;
  
• Global report on innovations in newspapers, from the Innovations International Media Consulting Group;
  
• Winners shaping the future - best cases from inside and outside the industry;
  
• Leadership - Steering the new news organisation through uncharted waters;
  
• Revenue - Pinpointing sensible growth and new revenue strategies;
  
• Audience - Reeling in readers and advertisers the right way;
  
• Print's prospects for tomorrow's publishing ecosystem;
  
• Digital revolution - paid content, tablets and smartphones.

The evolving conference programmes and other details can be found at www.wan-ifra.org/kiev2012.

Alongside the World Newspaper Congress and the World Editors Forum, the Info Services Expo will present innovative solutions from the international suppliers' community. The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to meet the leading suppliers to the newspaper industry and discover cutting-edge products, services and technologies.

As always, the events are accompanied by an array of social events, gala dinners and lunches and are considered to be the premier opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world.

What participants say

Agnès Callamard, France:
"The World Newspaper Congress/World Editors Forum 2011 gave me much food for thought and many opportunities to reflect on the state of press freedom and the media industry. I also really appreciated meeting with experts, journalists and editors and engage on a range of exciting and topical issues. Great work!"

Ananda Azaru, Indonesia:
"In these challenging times for newspaper business, it is very important to keep up to date with the world's situation. World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum allowed me to pay attention to the changes in the industry, to be inspired to create new ideas for the immediate future."

Sharon Samushonga, Zimbabwe:
"It is an eye opener and a place to network and meet people with solutions to your problems. It avoids reinventing the wheel. It is a must for people in the newspaper industry."

The host city

Kiev, the beautiful Ukrainian capital on the banks of the Dnepr river, is preparing to welcome delegates with proverbial Slovonic hospitality. With the EURO football championship taking place in June 2012, a first-class infrastructure awaits participants to the Congress and Forum in September. The two Ukrainian news media associations, UAPP and AIRPU, are joining forces to host the event.

Since Ukrainian independence in 1991, Kiev itself as well as the Ukrainian media landscape have undergone dramatic changes. The role of a free press in a society undergoing transition will be one of the key discussion points at this year's Congress and Forum.