Global Forum on Freedom of Expression

May 27 2009

From 1 to 6 June 2009, Oslo will host the Global Forum on Freedom of Expression. This will be the largest global event organised in this field to date, with 500 writers, researchers, film-makers, publishers and activists from 200 organisations in 120 countries.

Through the presentation of powerful evidence, the Forum will address all those concerned about protecting and discussing freedom of expression.

The seminars will take place at the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel, Holbergsgt. 30, Oslo (Wednesday only), the National Library, Henrik Ibsensgt. 110, Oslo (Thursday only) and the House of Literature, Wergelandsveien 29, Oslo.

Tickets will be available for sale for the following parallel seminars from Wednesday,
3 June to Friday, 5 June.

WEDNESDAY, 3 JUNE

11.30 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.:
Media in Conflict: Propaganda and Counterstrategies
Law and the Politics of Denial
Managing Change in the Global Media Economy

2.00 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.:
Digital Footprints and Surveillance
Law and the Politics of Defamation
Censorship of Science

4.00 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.:
Prison Testimonies
Law and the Politics of Security
Investigative Journalism and Corporate Accountability

THURSDAY, 4 JUNE

8.30 a.m. –10.00 a.m.:
Silenced Women’s Voices
The UPR and FoE: Experiences and Best Practices
Access to Information: Right to Know, Right Now,

10.30 a.m. – 12.00 a.m.:
Assimilation, Interculturalism and the Media
Defending Human Rights in Eastern Europe
Access to Information: Know and Tell

1.00 p.m. – 2.30 p.m.:
Expressing Sexual Identity
Special Rapporteur Roundtable
Access to Information: The Global Gap

3.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.:
Lectures by Aryeh Neier, Malalai Joya

FRIDAY, 5 JUNE

9.00 a.m. – 10.30 a.m.:
Freedom of Expression and New Technologies
Free Speech for Sale
For God’s Sake: Between Religion and Censorship

11.00 a.m.–12.30 p.m.:
Democracy and the Blogosphere
International Coalition Building: Sudan Case Study
Cartoons and Offence

2.00 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.:
Cat and Mouse: Online Censorship in the Middle East
From Tiananmen to the Olympics: Campaign Review
Offence: Give As You Would Receive

4.00 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.:
Lecture by Sami Al-Arian

Tickets: NOK 100, students NOK 50. Unfortunately, it is not possible to order tickets in advance
For information about the conference venues and seminars, see: http://expressionforum.org/
or ring tel. 22 60 74 50

Organisers: Norwegian PEN, THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION FOUNDATION and
IFEX (International Freedom of Express Exchange), Toronto

Supported by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others

News

Call for nominations: Free Media Awards 2025

March 14 2025

In collaboration with the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS of Hamburg, the Fritt Ord Foundation has allocated the Free Media Awards annually since 2004 to Eastern European journalists and media that defy every obstacle to tirelessly ensure independent press coverage. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the subsequent wave of disinformation clearly demonstrates the need for independent reporting in the region. Journalist, editorial teams and media companies in and from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary who make a contribution to press freedom through their investigative, independent reporting can be nominated for the Free Media Awards.

Civitates' Tech & Democracy open call

March 6 2025

Civitates – The European Democracy Fund is a pooled philanthropic fund that was set up in 2018 for the sole purpose of addressing democratic decline and closing civic space in Europe. The case for confronting these threats is growing increasingly urgent. Fritt Ord Foundation is one of the initiators and partners of Civitates.

Civitates has launched its Tech and Democracy open call to support organisations working to ensure safer, more inclusive online spaces (social media platforms, search engines etc.) by improving the enforcement of EU tech regulations at the national level.

This open call offers a unique opportunity to strengthen civil society’s role in holding the tech sector accountable, with a focus on key EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act, GDPR, AI Act or the European Media Freedom Act to name a few.

Norwegians increasingly more positive to computer games

March 5 2025

Norwegians are increasingly more positive to accepting computer games as culture

About 17 per cent have developed a more favourable view of computer games over the past year. Six of ten play computer games, and one of three plays computer games weekly. At the same time, computer games are ranked as having lower status than books and music, for example.
“Computer games deserve more attention and discussion”, contends Joakim Lie of Fritt Ord.

– Computer games are also art

March 4 2025

“The problem with far too many media reports about computer games is that they start begin with sentences like: ‘computer games have come a long way since Pac-Man’,” sighs American computer game critic Jacob Geller.

“Let us first simply agree that computer games are indeed an art form and an expression of culture, and then let us examine the works as part of the history of art and culture.