The 10th anniversary edition of the European Congress of Local Governments took place in Mikolajki on the 3-4 March 2025. This is the largest and most important event in Poland, bringing together local government leaders, representatives of central government, business, culture, academia, NGOs and the media. This year, one of the key themes was the fight against disinformation, and speakers included representatives from the Demagog Association.
Fact-checking in public administration — an effective response to disinformation
As part of his participation in the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) project, Marcel Kiełtyka, Board Member and Director of Communications and PR at the Demagog Association, gave a presentation entitled “Fact-checking in public administration — how to effectively identify and respond to disinformation?”. The aim of the presentation was to show public administration representatives effective methods of identifying and countering disinformation.
The session discussed good communication practices based on facts, ways to build public trust and strategies on how to respond to fake news. It also highlighted the key role of public administration cooperation with fact-checking organisations, such as Demagog, in strengthening the public’s resistance to disinformation.
Panel: How do NGOs build Poland’s security?
In addition to his lecture, Marcel Kiełtyka also took part in the panel “How NGOs build Poland’s security”, which was held as part of the “Politics and Security” track. The discussion centred on the role of NGOs in the country’s security system — both in the context of supporting emergency and humanitarian services, and in the area of monitoring the actions of the authorities and educating the public about threats.
Together with other panellists, they debated the effectiveness of NGO activities in raising public awareness and strengthening democracy through the provision of reliable information. They also highlighted the challenges of countering disinformation and the importance of reliable sources of information in a dynamically changing media landscape.
The panel was chaired by Adam Dabrowski, expert, Institute for Freedom, Poland, and the discussion included:
Agnieszka Kordalewska, President of the Board, Gotowi.org Foundation, Poland;
Ewelina Degowska, Member of the Board, Starost Office of the Western Warsaw District, Poland;
Marcel Kiełtyka, Member of the Board, Director of Communications and PR, DEMAGOG, Poland;
Michał Mikołajczyk, Member of the Board, Polish Red Cross, Poland;
Michalina Popko, Executive Director, Honour Body, Poland.
The participation of the Demagog Association in the European Congress of Local Governments 2025 is another step in the fight against disinformation and building information resilience among representatives of public administration and the wider public. The Congress was an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss the future of fact-checking in Poland and Europe.