Watch the CCIJ Metaverse Launch Party event held on August 25, 2021. During the presentation, we take you on a tour of our new metaverse space and invited attendees to enter the metaverse and experience the CCIJ Bad Water exhibit firsthand.

Headlining the event was The Gambia-based journalist Lamin Jahateh and photojournalist Jason Florio, who produced “The Gambia’s Water Paradox” with CCIJ in June. The party also included comments by CCIJ’s founder and executive director Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, Innovation Director Jon Lowenstein and metaverse developer Karen Eng.

Designed by Jon Lowenstein, Karen Eng and Lenara Verle, CCIJ’s metaverse exhibit is a shared virtual space that will operate as a new and powerful platform for people to experience CCIJ’s stories. At the forefront of technology-driven engagement strategies, the metaverse will create new avenues for journalists to distribute content, engage with global audiences, and generate revenue.

We believe a move into the metaverse space is an opportunity to meet and build a new audience in a dynamic environment where exploration, community and innovation is already promoted and encouraged. Very few journalism outlets have entered this space, making it a groundbreaking addition not just for our organization, but for international newsrooms.