GIJN Co-Hosts International Journalists at IRE25

At the 2025 Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, GIJN co-hosted 60 journalists from more than two-dozen countries and territories at the four-day event’s International Luncheon on Friday, June 20.

The luncheon, which was also co-sponsored by the American University School of Communication’s Investigative Reporting Workshop, brings together global attendees for conversation and networking at the premier US watchdog reporting convention.

After welcome remarks from IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes, GIJN Board Chair Brant Houston and GIJN Executive Director Emilia Diaz-Struck emceed the event, emphasizing the increasingly critical role that international journalism plays in holding power to account.

Following the meal, attendees stood up one-by-one and introduced themselves, telling where they come from and for whom they work. Journalists at the lunch came from six different continents: North America (US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Nicaragua); South America (Chile, Venezuela); Europe (UK, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Latvia, Germany); Africa (Egypt); and Asia (Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan), and Australia.

Also attending the luncheon was Julia Bones, daughter of John Bones, who was a longtime IRE and GIJN supporter and managing director of the Norwegian Foundation for Investigative Journalism (SKUP) for most of the last decade. He passed away earlier this year and his daughter will accept a posthumous award on his behalf at IRE25’s Gala Luncheon.

A gallery of photos from the event are below.