What is the Fritt Ord Foundation?

The Fritt Ord Foundation is a private non-profit foundation that is intended to protect and promote freedom of expression, public debate, art and culture.

Our Articles of Association state: “The paramount object of The Fritt Ord Foundation is to protect and promote freedom of expression and the environment for freedom of expression in Norway, especially by encouraging lively debate and through the courageous use of free speech. The Fritt Ord Foundation can also support other aspects of Norwegian culture, primarily those that promote free speech.”

Topics and questions that often distinguish the projects we support:

What kind of freedom of expression culture is evolving in today’s society? How we can pave the way for an open, free debate? This involves far more than just freedom of expression in the legal sense, for example, it includes topics such as hate speech, data protection, surveillance, a lack of transparency and a weak culture to support whistleblowing in some parts of working life.

What kind of media structures promote democracy and freedom of expression? What type of journalism do we need in order to form our opinions as members of the general public? In a complex society, we need independent media that provide us with investigative journalism that reveals facts, accompanied by knowledge-based analyses to explain them.

How can documentary books, documentary films, seminars, conferences and debates help us obtain and discuss the information society needs? Can we, through these works, provide new knowledge on topics not adequately covered previously and new perspectives on and interpretations of existing knowledge?

How can art and the expression of culture through dramatic and pictorial art contribute to insights and exchanges about social conditions? Important breakthroughs for freedom of expression have often taken place through art and the general cultural debate.

We also work internationally, concentrating on projects directly related to freedom of expression and free journalism.