Talk and Meet-up: Myanmar

cross-border

We invite you to our upcoming meet-up "Reporting Under Fire: Myanmar’s Media Between Underground and Exile" on 11 March in Berlin. It will feature Mizzima's editor-in-chief Soe Myint discussing how Myanmar's leading independent newsroom operates in exile following the 2021 coup. The event will examine cross-border journalism under surveillance and the challenge of achieving financial sustainability beyond international funding.

Reporting Under Fire: Myanmar’s Media Between Underground and Exile

11 March 2026, 18:00-20:00

Exile Media Hub Berlin

Keynote: Soe Myint, Editor-in-Chief, Mizzima

Felix Heiduk, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, SWP (tbc)

Moderation: Angelina Davydova, independent journalist, media expert and trainer

Followed by networking with snacks & drinks.

After the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the leading independent newsroom Mizzima was forced into exile for the second time. Since then, its journalists have continued reporting underground inside the country and from abroad, covering violence by military junta, repression, and recent election fraud. Where is Myanmar heading? How do independent media operate across borders under conditions of constant surveillance and risk? As international funding for independent journalism declines, the discussion will examine how Mizzima is adapting its operational structures and revenue models to ensure sustainability. What lessons can Myanmar’s independent journalists offer to the wider exiled media community?

At jinn’s upcoming Berlin meetup, Mizzima’s editor-in-chief Soe Myint will reflect on the realities of reporting from Myanmar and in exile. The event will feature expert commentary by Felix Heiduk, Head of the Asia Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs SWP (tbc), and will be moderated by independent journalist Angelina Davydova.

Mizzima, meaning the “Middle Way,” a reference to Buddhist philosophy, was founded in 1998 and is counted among Myanmar’s most prominent independent news organizations. After returning from exile in 2012, it was forced out again following the 2021 coup. With licenses revoked, offices raided, and staff targeted, Mizzima now operates transnationally while maintaining clandestine reporting inside the country through a cross-border “one-foot-in, one-foot-out” model. Despite reaching millions through satellite TV, radio, and digital platforms, the newsroom faces severe financial constraints and is working toward gaining greater independence from international funding by 2027.

Registration

Participation is free of charge. Please register using the form below. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with further details on venue and programme after submitting the form and verification.