The Alaska World Affairs Council was honored to welcome the World Press Institute (WPI) to Anchorage this week for a meaningful visit filled with exchange, connection, and dialogue about the role of a free press in today’s world.
As part of their nine-week U.S. fellowship, the WPI fellows—nine distinguished international journalists from Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, and Namibia—spent their time in Alaska engaging with students, local media professionals, and community members. Their visit offered our community a rare opportunity to hear firsthand perspectives on global journalism and the shared challenges facing reporters worldwide.
What is the World Press Institute?
World Press Institute (WPI) was established in 1961 to strengthen and promote the founding principles and best practices of journalism in the United States and around the world that lead to transparency and accountability of the government and private sectors.
Each year, they bring together professional journalists from all over the world and immerse them in the governance, politics, business, media, journalistic ethics and culture of the United States. Through a demanding, curated schedule in which they journey across the United States, they learn about the roles and responsibilities and evolving business models of the U.S. media, while engaging in the life and times surrounding them.
Engaging With Students at UAA
During their stay we coordinated a visit at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where WPI fellows met with journalism students for a candid, open dialogue. The exchange was a two-way street: students offered local context about Alaska’s media landscape, while fellows shared how they navigate press environments back home.
Roundtable on Arctic Security & Defense
The group also gathered with Captain Thomas (U.S. Coast Guard) and Richard Marshall, Ret. Chief Operations Officer at NSA Alaska & AKWorld Board Member, for a focused roundtable discussion on Arctic security.
For the international journalists, the roundtable offered an opportunity to connect their media work with themes that resonate globally: climate change, resource competition, and the complex interface between nations in fragile regions.
Public Program
The visit culminated with a public panel discussion titled “Journalistic Experience from the Global Stage”, held at UAA’s Fine Arts Building.
The evening featured a panel of international journalists, each bringing their unique vantage points:
Ian Froese (Canada) — Provincial affairs reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in Manitoba
Nina Svahn (Finland) — Journalist, producer, and anchor with Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company) in Helsinki
Njoroge Muigai (Kenya) — Senior journalist for the BBC in Nairobi
Ardhike Setyaningrum (Indonesia) — Education and political reporter for Tribun Jogja and TribunJogja.com in Yogyakarta
In addition to the formal panel, other WPI fellows from Argentina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Italy, and Namibia attended and were available for questions during the Q&A session.
Augusta McDonnell, an award-winning anchor and reporter from Alaska’s News Source (Anchorage), moderated the discussion. Augusta brought a grounded perspective; with experience covering public policy, education, and investigative stories in Alaska and beyond, she helped guide the conversation and steered incisive follow-up questions.
Gratitude, Partnerships & Community Support
This event would not have been possible without the collective effort of partners and community stakeholders:
Anchorage Museum: graciously provided space at the SEED Lab and hosted the fellows’ tours
UAA: coordinated student engagement and provided space for the evening program
Atwood Foundation and World Press Institute: core supporters who made the fellowship visit possible
Alaska World Affairs Council Board Members:
Samantha Correia delivered welcoming remarks
Rebecca Pottebaum with the Anchorage Museum for assisting with coordination
Richard Marshall led the Arctic security roundtable
