Barcelona City Council will establish an observatory against disinformation, Mayor Jaume Collboni announced on Monday at the Ortega y Gasset Journalism Awards ceremony in the Saló de Cent. The new body aims to "contrast false news appearing in or about Barcelona with data and demand accountability."

Collboni stated, "It is our contribution, as an administration, to combat lies and protect democracy." He framed the future observatory within a municipal strategy to foster "media literacy and awareness about disinformation," specifically targeting young people and adolescents.

He cited a recent survey showing 70% of Spanish youth are "not satisfied with democracy." This group often gathers political knowledge from social media, which is an "unverified source." Collboni called these "worrying data," but added that "the good news is that we have good journalism facing this."

Combating Disinformation and Protecting Democracy

The Mayor emphasised the "duty to protect journalism and journalists." He added, "Barcelona will always defend the essential work of journalists who take risks and tell us what is happening." This initiative forms part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic principles within the city.

The announcement occurred during the Ortega y Gasset Journalism Awards, which El País newspaper has presented since 1984. This year's ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of El País. The special edition honoured three international journalists: Belarusian Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich, Nicaraguan writer and politician Sergio Ramírez, and American journalist Martin Baron.

The jury recognised their "commitment to truth and their defence of human rights." These values align with those El País journalists have upheld for 50 years: honesty, courage, ethics, and craft. Collboni hosted the ceremony, held for the third year in the Saló de Cent, the city's most noble hall.

Notable attendees included the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and the President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Lluïsa Moret. Representatives from Grupo Prisa, El País's publisher, also attended, including its President, Joseph Oughourlian, and El País Director, Jan Martínez Ahrens.

Honouring Global Journalism Leaders

Collboni congratulated El País and its journalists on their half-century milestone. He recalled the newspaper's founding promise 50 years ago, that it would be "for those who think." Collboni called this "a simple but profound declaration of principles."

He noted the newspaper's role in defending Spain's nascent democracy. Collboni said, "Congratulations for half a century of information, independence, and commitment to the truth. Thank you for accompanying us every day and thank you for being there and entering there, for being our eyes and telling the world."

Collboni praised the award recipients for their bravery. Svetlana Alexievich, a Nobel Prize in Literature winner in 2015, lives in exile in Berlin. She fled Belarus in 2020 after participating in the Coordination Council of the Opposition against Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Collboni highlighted Alexievich's work, saying she "has brought the Soviet and post-Soviet world closer to us like no one else and has denounced authoritarianism." He pledged Barcelona would "continue to raise its voice for the bombs on the population of Ukraine to cease."

Sergio Ramírez, a Nicaraguan writer, journalist, and lawyer, received praise as "a firm defender of democracy in Nicaragua and a fighter for democracy, a moral compass for Latin America that yearns for freedom, critical of his country's current government." The Ortega y Gasset jury also called Ramírez "a moral reference."

Finally, Collboni called Martin Baron, an influential American journalist, "a beacon of information." He noted Baron is "admired inside and outside newsrooms." Baron led investigations at The Boston Globe and The Washington Post, reminding us that the search for truth remains important.

Barcelona's Commitment to Media Integrity

The new disinformation observatory represents a concrete step by Barcelona City Council to counter the spread of false information. It aims to strengthen democratic discourse and media understanding among Barcelona's residents, particularly its younger generations. This initiative underscores the city's dedication to supporting verified journalism and public awareness.

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Originally published by El País Barcelona. Read original article.