Classroom Encounters

Jul 21, 2026

Before summer gets fully underway, we take another look back at a special part of the True Story Festival 2026: reporters visiting classrooms.

On the festival Friday, several international journalists left the stage behind and went to where questions are often at their most direct: classrooms and schools. They spoke about their investigations, the difficult choices they face, their responsibility as journalists, and what it means to truly pursue a story.

Journalism Up Close

Among those taking part were Ben Mauk, Ana Carbajosa, Nyrola Elimä, Nidhi Suresh, Riley Sparks, Tina Kaiser, Marc Neller, Hannah Dreier, Jean Bourbeau, Pallavi Pundir, Sameh Ellaboody, Tony Bartelme, Anna Ryzhkova, Uman Abba Zanna, Hadil Arjah, Esther Göbel, Nesrine Malik and Dmitrij Gawrisch.

They spoke with students about truth, perspectives and media freedom – and about why journalism is more than just a news story on a screen. Especially in times of disinformation, social media and political polarization, such encounters are important: they show why asking critical questions is a fundamental skill in a democracy.

“The students listened with great fascination,” says teacher Mathias Steffen. “They gained a unique insight into a professional field that was new to many of them.”

Four Languages, Many Questions

The school visits took place in several languages: German, English, French and Spanish. This reflected the festival itself – as the nominated reporters came to Bern from a wide range of countries, backgrounds and journalistic traditions.

For the students, this meant they could not only discover topics from around the world, but also speak directly with the people who had researched and told these stories.

Why We Continue These Encounters

The True Story Festival aims not only to create a festival weekend, but also to build spaces where journalism becomes accessible – including for young people. That is why the school visits are an important part of our programme: they bring reporters and students together and open up conversations that continue beyond the festival itself.

A heartfelt thank you to all the schools, teachers and reporters who made these visits possible.

View the Recap

After the Festival Comes the Next Call for Submissions

After the summer holidays, the call for submissions for the next True Story Award will begin. We are already looking forward to new investigations, new voices and stories that show what journalism can achieve.

Thank you very much for being part of the True Story community.

Daniel & Rocío Puntas Bernet
Curators & Programme Team, True Story Festival