Six International Consortium of Investigative Journalists members have joined the organization’s network committee, replacing retiring members whose term has expired.
The new members are Karlijn Kuijpers (Netherlands), Yasuomi Sawa (Japan), Umar Cheema (Pakistan), Carla Minet (Puerto Rico), Edouard Perrin (France) and Johannes Kristjansson (Iceland).
They replace long-serving committee members Minna Knus-Galán, Frédéric Zalac, Bill Birnbauer, Fredrik Laurin, Ritu Sarin, and Yongjin Kim.
Francisca Skoknic (Chile) has been elected as chair of the committee with vice chairs Karlijn Kuijpers and Yasuomi Sawa.
ICIJ’s network committee is a working body that represents the ICIJ members, setting principles and best practices, priorities and activities, liaising with the board and giving advice to ICIJ’s leadership team on adding or excusing members.
ICIJ’s global member network is 280 investigative journalists strong. We have members in more than 100 countries and territories who work collaboratively on cross-border investigative projects.
ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle welcomed the new committee members. “I am delighted to welcome the new committee and I look forward to working with them to make ICIJ an even better organization. Collaboration across cultural, linguistic and journalistic traditions is what makes ICIJ unique, and it is what makes our cross-border accountability journalism unique.”
Ryle also thanked the retiring members of the network committee “for devoting so much of their time voluntarily over many years. Their selflessness and willingness to share their time and expertise to the goal of the common good represents the very best of what ICIJ is about.”
Outgoing committee chair, Minna Knus-Galán said she was very confident the new committee would continue the good work of the inaugural committee which was established in 2017. The former committee had invited more than 70 journalists to join the ICIJ, expanding the consortium to a number of new countries, and also advised the ICIJ’s leadership on key membership issues.
“It has been an honour to serve ICIJ, a pioneer on cross-border investigative journalism and a model for numerous other collaborative networks. Selecting new ICIJ members has given me and all members of the committee a unique insight into the impressive work investigative journalists do around the world – and so many good friends.’’