Today, October 21, 2024, at the Victoria Palace, the official launch of the "Agerpres Daily News | Hold History", initiated by ICI Bucharest and the National Press Agency AGERPRES, with the support of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization. The event marked an important step in combating disinformation and promoting authentic journalism by integrating blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The project "Agerpres Daily News | Hold History' aims to transform authentic and verified news into unique NFTs, giving consumers the opportunity to own a piece of the most relevant moments in daily news. These NFTs, available on the ICI D|Servicesplatform, each represent a 'time capsule', immortalizing significant moments in national and global current affairs. NFTs are released daily in limited editions and are accompanied by photos, article snippets or digital art.
The project includes a loyalty program for NFT collectors, who can access special rewards such as digital art pieces, exclusive content, or invitations to events organized by AGERPRES. An innovative feature, "NFT-to-Vote", is also being explored, whereby NFT holders will be able to influence future news topics. This initiative marks a new way of interacting with news, where audiences can not only consume but own and actively participate in everyday history.
Bogdan Ivan, the Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, emphasized in his speech the importance of this project: "In a world dominated by digital challenges, the use of blockchain to guarantee the authenticity and truthfulness of information is essential. The launch of <Agerpres Daily News | Hold History> is another crucial step in building a safe and well-informed digital ecosystem."
Adrian-Victor Vevera, the general director of ICI Bucharest, highlighted the added value of the project: "I believe that the young people present in this room are the future consumers of this program, a project that appeared as a continuation of the first collections of NFTs launched with Agerpres. We started with a necessity - validated news and ended up using blockchain technology to certify and validate the news. Other blockchain technology projects will be launched in November this year, so I invite you to stay tuned."
Claudia-Victoria Nicolae, the general director of AGERPRES, drew attention to the importance of integrating the needs of the new generation: "It is time to adapt and innovate in order to reach young people with the quality information they need. "Agerpres Daily News | Hold History" is not only a step forward for journalism but a necessity in the digital age."
The event was attended by students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of the University of Bucharest and students at the Romanian-American University, who appreciated the educational and informative potential of this initiative. The project is an essential tool in the fight against disinformation, giving citizens the opportunity to easily collect and verify authentic information.
