Photo: Ivars Kupcis
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) participated in the European Christian Internet Conference (ECIC) held in Tallinn, Estonia, from 15 to 17 September 2025. The conference theme, “Leading in the Age of Misleading: The Role of Churches in Countering Disinformation,” addressed the urgent need for churches to communicate with integrity amid pervasive disinformation. The event was hosted by the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Communication and media specialists from churches and ecumenical organisations across Europe gathered at ECIC. They explored how Christian institutions can counter misleading content, build resilience, and uphold standards of truthful, ethical communication.
CEC Communications Coordinator Naveen Qayyum presented the short film Pathways to Just Peace, an output of CEC’s Pathways to Peace initiative. She remarked: “This media project strengthens and amplifies the voices of churches from Ukraine and beyond, promoting a dialogue on just peace. It brings together churches that may hold different theological or political understandings of what just peace means, yet share a common commitment to dialogue and reconciliation. In doing so, we are contributing to countering propaganda and disinformation that are so prevalent online and across social media.”
ECIC President Agnieszka Godfrejów-Tarnogórska said, “In an era when digital platforms often amplify disinformation, our calling as Christian communicators is to witness to truth grounded in compassion and understanding. This conference reminds us that despite different traditions and contexts, churches can unite in encouraging media that heals, connects, and educates rather than divides.”
Throughout the conference, participants addressed the ethical responsibilities of Christian communicators in the digital age, examined strategies to recognise and respond to misinformation, and reflected on ways to foster trust through transparent and fact-based storytelling. Attention was also given to the importance of local contexts, global solidarity, and shared practical tools that enable stronger cooperation among church communication teams.
CEC commends ECIC for creating such a valuable platform and underlines the importance of its partnership with ECIC. Collaborative efforts like these enable churches across Europe to speak with clarity and integrity in the public sphere, supporting justice, reconciliation and constructive dialogue in a complex digital landscape.