Seden is an independent journalist, podcast host, producer, and trainer with a background in law. Based in Brussels, for over seven years, she has covered intersectional social and climate justice issues, producing over 10 podcasts on topics including the climate crisis, capitalism, colonialism, and racism. She previously produced and co-hosted Europe, Day by Day, a daily and weekly news podcast, and Changing the Table, a podcast on migration, earning recognition as a "Visionary in Migration and Human Rights" by EUInsider.EU. She also trains podcasters and journalists at the Podcast Academy at Muntpunt, Brussels.

Julija Stankevičiūtė (NARA) is a journalist and photographer at NARA, a responsible journalism media collective in Lithuania, where she produces long-form narrative-driven stories and photo documentaries. Her work focuses on social and environmental issues, with a special focus on migration and LGBTQIA+ issues. With her story about Uganda's gorilla conservation efforts To Look Gorilla in the Eyes, Julija won the Romas Sakadolskis Young Journalist Prize in 2022. Currently, she is completing her BA in Journalism at Vilnius University and recently completed a Photojournalism course at The Danish School of Media and Journalism.

Vladimir Kocharyan is a curator, researcher, and documentary filmmaker. For over 10 years, he has been organising retrospectives, festivals, and educational film projects. He worked as a producer at Lendoc, a documentary film studio in St. Petersburg, and served as the executive director of Iskusstvo Kino magazine. Vladimir is also the author of a book and several documentaries on the film and culture of the Yakuts, a minority group native to North Siberia. Vladimir's research focuses on cinema as a method of social response, both artistic and political.

Radu Dumitrescu holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Bucharest and works for Romania Insider, an English-language outlet focusing on Romania, where he covers politics and capital markets. A former editor-in-chief of the pro-European web magazine, The New Federalist, Radu was nominated for the European Press Prize in the Opinion section in 2019. He is also the author of the book The Corporate Overlords will be Kind: Campaign Finance, Representation, and Corporate-led Democracy (2021), published by Vernon Press.

Toby is an experienced multimedia journalist specialising in public interest reporting. He has written for publications across Ireland and covers a wide range of issues including housing, healthcare and social inequality. Toby’s journalism brings clarity, empathy, and a particular focus on underreported voices. His work also includes international stories, from coverage of the Irish diaspora in Malaysia and Cambodia to personal reflections on volunteering in Palestine. Whether at home or abroad Toby thrives on telling stories from the fringes, where policy decisions hit hardest.

I'm incredibly excited to take part in this fellowship on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights because I believe that we are at a critical juncture for democracy and the rule of law in Europe. Across the EU, we’re witnessing the growing influence of far-right ideologies that directly challenge the universality of rights, fuel discrimination, and seek to undermine the very principles the Charter stands for. For me, this fellowship is an opportunity not only to deepen my knowledge of fundamental rights, but also to strengthen the tools we need to defend them.

Bernardo Álvarez is a freelance journalist based in Madrid. He has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently pursuing his bachelor’s in Geography and History. He writes about the environment, culture, labour and human rights in numerous national and regional media publications in Spain.

Alessia Melchiorre is a freelance journalist based in Taranto, specialising in the environmental and social challenges of the Mediterranean. Her work has been featured in Associated Press, Reasons To Be Cheerful, Green European Journal, as well as Italian outlets, such as Sky and Rai. She is also a media literacy educator and co-founder of Marea Media, a non-profit media organisation based in Naples.

Vera Belatsarkouskaya is an independent journalist reporting on Belarusian affairs, human rights and the stories of people who went through political repression and displacement. She creates human-centred stories that explore how individuals and communities navigate life in exile, adapt to new environments and cope with authoritarian realities. Vera’s stories have been published in various Belarusian media outlets.

Lucie Wies Hermans is a journalist and activist based in Brussels. Her work documents and exposes gender-based violence, discrimination against migrants, and social injustice. Over the years, she has specialised in women's health issues, with a particular focus on the realities experienced by marginalised women. She seeks to raise awareness, inform, and give a voice to those whose voices are too rarely heard.

Rifat Tellioglu is a Berlin-based Turkish journalist specialising in Turkish politics, human rights issues and natural disaster reporting. He also covers German politics for Turkish media outlets and has expertise in explainer-style video journalism. He currently works full-time at Parantez Media and contributes to various other publications.

Oļesja Garjutkina is a journalist and news editor at Latvian outlet TVNET and a journalism student at Riga Stradiņš University. She has written about a range of topics, from artificial intelligence to youth policy and Latvia’s engagement in EU-funded initiatives, and is deeply engaged in activism and NGO work.

Saara-Maria Salonen is a Finnish and Inari Sámi journalist living between the United Kingdom (UK) and Finland. She has a master's degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Sussex. Saara-Maria writes about Arctic and Indigenous issues, sustainable energies and climate change. She has a strong interest in Indigenous music, and has worked as a producer in Sámi film productions.

Julianna is a Hungarian journalist. Growing up in an increasingly authoritarian system, and having witnessed the crackdown on the independent press, she decided to challenge repression in the form of a paper and a pen. Her main interests are marginalised communities, the shift to the far-right in mainstream politics, and international relations.

Michaela Nagyidaiová is a Slovak visual artist living and working between Vienna, Austria, and Bratislava, Slovakia. Her work explores the relationship between landscape and memory, the transformation of the central and eastern European environment, migration, and questions of belonging. She holds a master’s in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London College of Communication (2019).

Zuza Nazaruk is an independent investigative journalist. She has reported on topics such as climate and the environment, defence, migration, and tax avoidance. Her story on the environmental impact of militarising the Polish-Belarussian border won the Best Story award at the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence in 2025. Her work has appeared in Follow the Money, New Lines Magazine, Balkan Insight, and others.

Belle de Jong is a journalist and editor based in Malta, focusing on social justice, climate, and human rights. Her work has a strong focus on connecting local realities to broader European issues. Previously, she worked in environmental and social policy at the European Parliament and led digital communications for the European elections in Malta. She is now an editor at The European Correspondent.

Malene Nørby is a journalist collaborating with several Danish media outlets. With a background in investigative journalism and the Social Sciences, she is deeply engaged in social issues and European affairs. In her work, she seeks to uncover problems, highlight constructive solutions, and offer pathways forward.

Hazar Deniz is a Brussels-based freelance journalist and editor for the European Correspondent’s Democracy and Human Rights Desk. He has written and researched extensively on EU-Türkiye relations. He also works on investigative projects.

Mirosława van der Boom is a journalist and military historian. She writes about conflicts, environmental issues, and their intersection. With an academic background in history, she is particularly interested in borderlands during war and the tension between national and local belonging.