Give a gift that matters. Support independent journalism this holiday season!

21. December 2023

While cards, wines, and tech gadgets are undoubtedly delightful, let us invite you to consider a Christmas gift that carries a deeper meaning - one that resonates with the values of independence, democracy, and stories that matter.

At FatChilli, we uphold a Christmas tradition that reflects our commitment to making a positive impact on our society. Rather then sending out presents to our business friends, we allocate our Christmas gift budget to support NGOs dedicated to fostering independent journalism and democracies in their countries.

Even in our home country, Slovakia, the democracy is being challenged - the government has banned the largest independent news media from entering the government meetings, violating the obligation of public officials to inform the media, and it plans to fast-track criminal law changes that include scrapping a special prosecutor's office focused on corruption. Commited to the democratic values, our FatChilli team in Bratislava recently stood in solidarity with 15,000 fellow demonstrators against the government's plans.

This holiday season, we are proud to continue our tradition by supporting the following organizations, each contributing to different facets of journalism support. And if you like the idea, think of it as "open-source" - feel free to use it, share it, or modify it.

Nadácia Zastavme korupciu / Stop Corruption Foundation(Slovakia)

The foundation's mission is to combat corruption's adverse impact on life and business in Slovakia. They raise awareness, support whistleblowers, and promote investigative journalism to foster effective anti-corruption measures. Donate

Hlidacipes.org (Czech Republic)

This Czech organization serves as a web publication platform that focuses on original investigative reporting and long-term monitoring of topics often overlooked by mainstream media. They are dedicated to uncovering unethical practices and promoting change while upholding journalistic neutrality and the highest standards of impartiality. Donate

Detector Media (Ukraine)

Detector Media works to enhance resilience to disinformation, empowers quality journalism, promotes media literacy, freedom of speech, and ethical journalism standards, particularly in Ukraine.

Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation (Malta)

The foundation is dedicated to Foundation is dedicated to seeking justice for the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a courageous journalist who faced threats and violence before her tragic death. They work to support investigative journalists, advocate for justice in targeted killings of journalists, and promote a culture of public interest litigation, all while striving to improve media pluralism by challenging political party-owned or controlled media in Malta. Donate

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (Hungary)

Hungarian Helsinki Committee is a human rights NGO working to inform individuals about their fundamental human rights, providing legal aid, and advocating for the protection of civil liberties. They provide critical legal support to Hungarian journalists, too. Donate

 

If you're interested in more tips on who needs to be supported, in previous years we sent our donations to the following organisations:

Please let us know of other non-profit journalism-focused organisations, and we'd be happy to add them to the list in the future. 

From all of us at FatChilli, Merry Christmas, and a peaceful and independent year 2024! 🎄

 

TOP