to galvanise and convene a much-needed forum of like-minded organisations, in an organic manner, to build solidarity in a generally fragmented regional, continental and global sphere. To keep ahead we need to be innovative and responsive to the changes in our society – thus our business unusual approach. This entails that our body language and actions at national and regional levels need to be strategically in lock-step in our march towards being the thought and convening leader in the region as articulated in our 2021 – 2026 strategic plan. In 2022, MISA celebrates its 30th anniversary, indeed a significant milestone for our organisation. MISA RGC Chairperson Golden Maunganidze Chair per son’s Repor t The year 2021 was one of consolidation and the repositioning of our organisation in the aftermath of the several headwinds that we faced. The vision to build towards the next 30 years begins and starts now. We all have a collective responsibility of ensuring that everything we do now builds towards the next 30 years and does not betray the founding values of this organisation. To this, we make a declaration that we dare not, and will not fail! Golden Maunganidze Chairperson MISA Regional Governing Council When we started this journey – midway through 2021 – we dared to dream and our dreams are now becoming reality. We took a leap of faith and the results are beginning to show. While we have managed to score some successes, this is not the time to rest on our laurels, but to continue rolling our sleeves and getting the work done. In 2021 we restructured our Regional Governance Council (RGC) and took the necessary steps to reclaim the ground that we had lost. The next step was to come up with a new strategy document covering the period 2021 to 2026. These processes were foundational and vital for MISA to reposition itself as the thought leader in terms of freedom of expression and of the media in Southern Africa. The strategy is instructive as it forces us to introspect and chart the future of this historical and formidable organisation that turns 30 years this year. It cannot be business as usual because we have a lot of ground to cover to ensure that we consolidate our status as the regional shield in defence of expression in Southern Africa amid a complex and ever-changing environment as attacks are coming from both the usual and unusual places. A huge burden thus remains on MISA’s shoulders MISA Regional 2021 Annual 2021 Report 3