GFMD General Assembly – Tirana 2021

From September 30 to October 01, GFMD is hosting its quadrennial General Assembly in Tirana, Albania. This year is going to be very different from previous years as the pandemic has not only put severe limitations on travel but also made organising an event for GFMD members and the wider media development and journalism support community impossible. Due to these restrictions, the Secretariat is organising an in-person meeting of just over 20 representatives of GFMD general members in Tirana, Albania. This will be combined with a hybrid online General Assembly for all members.

The General Assembly takes place every four years (or five years in these exceptional circumstances) and offers a chance for GFMD members to elect a new steering committee, vote on changes to organisation bylaws, and discuss strategy for the forthcoming four-year period.

What are GFMD members voting on and discussing?

Throughout the General Assembly, members will vote to elect a new Steering Committee to lead GFMD for the next four years. The Steering Committee then elects a Chairperson, Deputy-Chairperson, and Treasurer. From 2 August to 10 September, members were invited to submit their candidacy for the Steering Committee. A full list of those who put their names forward for the Steering Committee can be found here. From 21 to 28 September, members commenced online voting. The results of which will be announced on September 30 in Tirana and online. In the same period, members were also invited to vote to approve the final draft of the GFMD constitution.

Agenda

GFMD members who wish to participate in the session online can register here. A full agenda of hybrid events can be found below.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

General Assembly (13:00-15:00)
13:00-13:30 – Welcome
13:30-13:50 – Changes to GFMD bylaws and constitution
13:50-14:45 – Activity and financial reports (2016-2021)
14:45-15:00 – Announcement of new Steering Committee

Steering Committee Meeting (15:45-17:30)
15:45-16:30 – Candidacy and voting for the GFMD Executive Committee
16:30-16:45 – New Executive Committee announced
16:45-17:00 – Working rules of the Steering Committee
17:00-17:15 – Conclusion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1
11:00-12:30 – 2021-2025 Strategy Discussion
12:30-13:00 – Adoption of recommendations and final statement from the meeting

Click here to watch the highlights from GFMD’s General Assembly on our YouTube channel. Read our General Assembly meeting report, Steering Committee meeting report, and Strategic Planning reports.