Panel X – Akademieraum 1 – 24 June 2025, 10:45

Moderation

Marius Lukosiunas, Advisor for Communication and Information, Section for Universal Access to Information and Digital Inclusion, UNESCO

Short Biography

Since 2005, Marius Lukošiūnas has worked for UNESCO, serving as Advisor for Communication and Information in the Moscow (2005–2010) and Cairo (2010–2014) offices, and later at UNESCO headquarters in Paris within the Universal Access to Information section.

Before UNESCO, he was Head of the Press Service and Advisor to the President of Lithuania (2004–2005). He also served as media and political affairs officer for the UN Mission in Kosovo and managed EU enlargement-related media projects at the European Journalism Center in Maastricht (1997–2000).

Marius began his career as a journalist for Lithuanian TV, producing and moderating presidential debates during Lithuania’s first presidential elections in 1992. He also directed the Institute of Journalism at Vilnius University from 1992 to 1997.

Speaker

Toby Mendel, Executive Director, Centre for Law and Democracy

Short Biography

Toby Mendel is the founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy, a Canadian-based international human rights NGO which provides legal and capacity building expertise regarding foundational rights for democracy, including the right to information, freedom of expression, the right to participate and the rights to freedom of assembly and association.

Prior to that, he was for over 12 years Senior Director for Law at ARTICLE 19, an international human rights NGO focusing on freedom of expression and the right to information. He has collaborated extensively with inter-governmental actors working in these areas – including the World Bank, UNESCO, the UN and other international rapporteurs on freedom of expression, the OSCE and the Council of Europe – as well as numerous governments and NGOs in countries all over the world.

Before joining ARTICLE 19, he worked as a senior human rights consultant with Oxfam Canada and as a human rights policy analyst at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

He is the author of a large number of articles, monographs and books on a range of freedom of expression, right to information and communication rights issues, including several books published by UNESCO.

Ahmed Ahid Rasheed, Information Commissioner, Freedom of Information –Information Commissioner’s Office, Republic of Maldives