The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) is an international union of non-profit organisations that support and promote research journalism. GIJN was founded in 2003 at the world conference for research journalism in Copenhagen. The network joins 145 member organisations in 62 countries.
It was already the third time that the two Brussels universities awarded the Difference Day Honorary Title for Freedom of Expression. Last year the laureates were Charlie Hebdo journalist Zineb El Rhazoui and author Djemila Benhabib. In 2015 the title went to imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.