Lessons to live by

Just coming back down to earth after an amazing few days at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia. There's just something about that place, the people it brings together and, yes, the Prosecco, that is pure magic.

I think it's fair to say that many of us went there this year feeling slightly jaded - not only at the general state of the world, which is terrifying on so many levels, but with the profession itself. I mean, where do we even start with that? From the growing dangers faced by journalists around the globe to the mass lay-offs we've been seeing lately and then the recent US funding cuts, the media in general seems to be facing a perfect storm. And that's not to mention the challenges posed by the algorithms and, of course, AI.

We are also having a bit of an existential crisis about who and what we are - and how we do it - and, frankly, not before time. Are we really doing enough for the communities we serve - and particularly to amplify minority voices? Is enough being done to create greater diversity in our newsrooms? How can we bring more transparency to our work? More humanity and kindness to what we do? As we grapple with the rise of AI, the latter will be more important than ever.

For us freelancers, meanwhile, things feel especially precarious. I can only speak anecdotally about this, but at the Society of Freelance Journalists (SFJ), which I co-run with three others, many of us have found this past year to be the toughest yet.

Anyway, all of this to say that a number of us arrived in Perugia feeling a little bit broken. We left, however, feeling inspired, fortified and, if not full of hope, at least with more optimism than when we arrived. In short, the festival worked its wonders once again.

For a start, catching up with friends, old and new, is always good for the soul - and I had the pleasure this year of meeting up with a fair few SFJ-ers, several of them for the first time. What a joy it was, after so many interactions on Zoom, Slack et al, to connect in real life - and our little drinks get-together was a special highlight of the festival.

It was also such a treat to spend time with my SFJ colleague - and all-round brilliant human - Laura Oliver. I must also give a shout-out here to the other SFJ team members who couldn't make it this year. John Crowley and Abigail Edge, we missed you!

In terms of the programme, every one of the panels I attended was exceptional. From learning how best to cover the climate crisis and listening to the courageous journalists from the Kyiv Independent to a thought-provoking look at journalism ethics in the creator economy, there were so many highlights this year.

However, my favourite one of all was actually about screwing up: Mistakes, setbacks and unfulfilled expectations: an honest f*ck-up session. It was so inspiring, comforting and heartening to hear three such brilliant and successful people talk frankly about the stuff that has gone wrong, what they did about it and how they learned from the experience. Lessons to live by.

With some 200 sessions in all, it's only possible to see a fraction of what's on offer. But the other great thing about Perugia is that all the panels are recorded and available to watch back afterwards - and for free. So, everyone can benefit from this shared learning.

And, of course, it all took place against one of the most beautiful backdrops imaginable - high up in the hilltop city of Perugia. Think ancient architecture, wildly beautiful frescoes and panoramic views out to distant snow-capped mountains. Even the air there feels restorative.

So, a huge thank you to everyone who made #IJF25 such a special experience. It was much needed. Here's to #IJF26.