August 25, 2019 - 3:45pm PDT
Athens, Greece

Join a panel of experts, including EFF Associate Director of Research Gennie Gebhart, to discuss trends in intellectual freedom and freedom of expression at the International Federation of Library Associations 2019 World Library and Information Congress.

IFLA’s Intellectual Freedom statement was adopted 20 years ago this year, underlining the commitment of libraries to fundamental freedoms. In the intervening years, the opportunities to exercise this freedom, as well as the threats to it, have evolved rapidly. New issues and understandings have emerged, forcing libraries to reflect on how their values – as well as the terms of the Statement itself – should be interpreted and applied.
 
To mark the anniversary, IFLA’s Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression is looking at the continued relevance of the statement, and where changes may be necessary in order to reflect the times.
 
Come along and hear both about recent work associated with the Intellectual Freedom Statement – IFLA’s Statement on Censorship, and Guidelines on public internet access in libraries – and to hear expert speakers share their views on what intellectual freedom, and its defense, look like today.