On Thursday, the 19th of September, we had the opportunity to welcome another guest to share his story as part of the Food for Thought initiative by Crossing Borders in Copenhagen: Jesper Højberg.
Jesper has had a fascinating journey, transitioning from journalism to consulting and eventually founding his own venture, IMS. In 1998, Jesper was sent to the Middle East by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as an advisor to the Ministry during the war in Yugoslavia. In the late 1990s, he returned to Denmark after working for the UN for four years in Africa, where he witnessed both the transition in South Africa and the genocide in Rwanda. By 2001, he was able to return to media and journalism, and simultaneously start IMS, a fledgling organization that received funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
IMS (International Media Support) is a non-profit organization focused on media development. It is the largest of its kind in the Nordics and works to strengthen media’s capacity to reduce conflict, promote democracy, and facilitate dialogue. Today, IMS, with Jesper as its Executive Director, operates in more than 30 countries across four continents, promoting press freedom, good journalism, and the safety of journalists. Currently, 200 people from 52 different nationalities work for IMS.
For Jesper, impartial and honest information plays a vital role, and this is what IMS stands for. In his view, free media is essential for healthy societies. Journalism should present different perspectives and give a platform for diverse voices to be heard and empowered. He also believes that youth and civil society are key players in these processes and that building networks and friendships is incredibly useful. As journalists reproduce information, Jesper emphasizes the need for mutual trust with locals. He learned this firsthand in Kabul, where he realized that staying involved and showing commitment was essential to gaining the trust and respect of the local community. As an anthropologist, Jesper understands that deep involvement and presence are crucial—development cannot just be words. This is also why IMS includes local community members on its board. Another critical aspect for Jesper is staying true to his values—he strives to speak and act consistently.
A thought-provoking question from the audience asked whether there is room for activism in journalism. Some Danish journalists argue that they cannot be activists and that there is no need for activism in Denmark. However, Jesper believes that we cannot ignore global realities. Instead, we should remain committed, seize small opportunities, and turn them into bigger ones to bring about change—like in the case of Zimbabwe’s commitment to free media and human rights. At the same time, Jesper is critical of the hypocrisy displayed by major powers in the international community. He points to Gaza, where more than 116 journalists have been killed, sometimes deliberately. He sees this as one reason why many countries turn to BRICS for collaboration instead of the West.
Jesper is also concerned about how politics, media, and the military have merged, often driven by economic interests and aided by technology and AI, to manipulate public opinion.
All of the above, according to Jesper, should keep us vigilant. We must remain involved and seek reliable sources of information, even though this is becoming increasingly difficult. However, through sharing stories, we can still access diverse perspectives.
Written By: Angeliki Alexopoulou, Erasmus Young Entrepreneur