Dear all,
I send you my greetings and my warmest welcome to Florence.
We are honored to host the meeting of EDMO – European digital media observatory in our city.
As you know, on Saturday Florence hosted a great demonstration for peace and support for the Ukrainian people. It was just one of the initiatives that more than 100 Cities throughout Europe, part of Eurocities association, have carried out. It was a great demonstration that cities can be an extraordinary vehicle to build a European identity and a European spirit of solidarity, where freedom and democracy are deeply undermined.
Your group plays a vital role in a dramatic moment like this. Faced with such a violent war, it is crucial to have certain and confirm news.
It is a war that is fought in public opinion as well as with armies; and not only in Russia and Ukraine, but also in Europe and in the US. We see well how the current orientation of European public opinion is a fundamental factor in supporting the economic sanctions of the EU states against Russia, which are influencing the trend of the conflict so much.
But European public opinion is volatile and can fall victim of false information campaigns, carried out by the two warring states.
This is why your verification and fact checking activity is decisive: we need to know if the news that is reported is correct or not.
Thanks again and I hope to meet you personally soon
Best wishes
Dario Nardella
