On Wednesday 24 October, EBU President Fritz Pleitgen today interviewed Alan Johnston, the BBC Gaza correspondent taken hostage in March and held captive for nearly four months. 

The two men were taking part in a conference entitled "Safety in the News - Body, Mind and Heart", organized by the International News Safety Institute and the Dart Centre for journalism and trauma. 

Fritz Pleitgen and Alan Johnston (left)

Speaking for the first time since the day of his release on 4 July, Mr Johnston spoke of the importance of safety training for journalists sent to conflict zones, and of the "major psychological struggle" he went through to endure the months of imprisonment. 

Mr Johnston will take part in this year's News Xchange, the annual conference for news executives organized by Eurovision Operations this Thursday and Friday in the German capital.