Tomorrow will begin in Oslo the eighth Oslo Freedom Forum. I am happy to see that this event has grown each year. I have been reading about it, since 2011 and I hope not only this event can grow more, but other events defending human rights around the world can grow as well, and the human rights defenders can get respect and acknowledgement for their courageous and social work. This post is a summary of four articles. The first was published at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_Freedom_Forum. The second was published at https://oslofreedomforum.com/events/2016-oslo-freedom-forum. The third was published at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A1clav_Havel_Prize_for_Creative_Dissent. The fourth was publishe at http://www.voanews.com/content/three-share-rights-group-creative-dissent-award/3317138.html
Oslo Freedom Forum ( O.F.F ) is a series of global conferences run by the New York-based non-profit Human Rights Foundation. The Freedom Forum was founded in 2009 and has taken place annually ever since in Oslo, Norway. One of the key objectives of the conference is to bring together notable people, including former heads of state, winners of the Nobel Prize, prisoners of conscience, as well as of other public figures in order to nerwork and exchange ideas about human rights and exposing dictatorship. The main O.F.F. conference is held annually in Oslo, while satellite events have been held in San Francisco and on college campuses in the U.S. According to Wired Magazine, "If the global human rights movement were to create its own unified representative body, it would look something like this." They also later wrote, "The power of the event, whose sponsors include Sergey Brin's and Peter Thiel's charitable foundations, lies in the seamless mix of grassroots activists, many of whom have risked their lives to speak out, and the top-level policymakers and influencers who can act what they learn." The O.F.F. was founded by human rights activist Thor Halvorssen. The inaugural O.F.F., titled "The Nobility of the Human Spirit and the Power of Freedom," featured more than 30 speakers with an emphasis on the importance of literature in advancing the cause of freedom. The 2010 O.F.F. organized around the theme, "From Tragedy to Triumph," featured participants from more than 40 countries and six continents. The event focused on the progress of civil liberties over the past century, while highlighting the innovation of modern advocates activists. The 2011 O.F.F. took place under the theme, "Spark of Change," and featured speakers who gave presentations from an analysis of some of the world's dictatorship, to a look at the impact that a single individual can have on the world. In 2012 the title was, "Out of Darkness, Into Light," the O.F.F. explored numerous topics, including modern-day slavery, how some I.T. and arms companies support dictatorships, the drug war's impact in human rights, a focus on the democracy movement in Russia, perspectives in fighting poverty through individual rights, global censorship, and the Arab uprisings. This year also begun the Václav Havel Prizes for Creative Dissent were awarded in a special ceremony during the forum. The 2013 O.F.F. was themed, "Challenging Power," and centered on a range of topics, such as the art of dissent, asymmetric activism, new tools for rights advocates, the power of media, women under Islamic law, and the threat of authoritarian regimes with façade capitalism. The 2014 O.F.F. included Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef, Cuban Blogger Yoani Sanchez, American actor Jeffrey Wright, Ukranian pro-democracy activist Yulia Marushevska, iconist Turkish protestor Erdem Gunduz. The New York Times called the O.F.F. the place where "the world's dissidents have their say." The 2015 O.F.F. brought speakers included Charlie Hebdo columnist Zineb El Rhazouni, North Korean Ji Seong-ho, Afghan entrepreneur Saad Mohseni, and Twitter vice president Colin Crowell. The O.F.F. has been praised for bringing together some of the world's most influential activists. In a six minute video BBC said that O.F.F. is where pro-democracy activists share ideas and learn about agitating for positive change. Vice News has described the event as a bit like Comic-Con, only the heroes are real. Wired Magazine has suggested that, if the global human rights movement were to create its own unified representative body, it would look something like this, and the power of the event lies in the seamless mix of grassroots activists, many of whom have risks their lives to speak out, and the good policymakers who can act in what they learn. The New York Times focused on how O.F.F. 's community draws strength from one another, and that it showcased how the conference goes beyond networking, by providing attendees with broader exposure and connecting them woth prominent financiers and technologists. The Economist described it as on its way to becoming a human rights equivalent of the Davos Economic Forum and that the forum provides an intimate space for dissidents and human rights defenders from around the world to meet each other, to talk to internet entrepreneurs, academics, politicians and to draw inspiration.
The 2016 O.F.F will happen with the theme of, "The Catalysts." A single spark can start a raging fire, which is why this year, The O.F.F. is dedicated to catalysts: women and men who have realized that while individuals can not change the world on their own, the world can not change without individuals. That even if you are the first person to stand up, you will not find yourself alone for long. The O.F.F. of this year will bring together the world's most passionate human rights advocates for an unforgettable three-day summit dedicated to promoting human rights around the globe.
Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent is an award established in 2012 by the New Yoik-based Human Rights Foundation.( HRF ) According to HRF President Thor Halvorssen, the prize recognizes individuals "who engage in creative dissent, exhibiting courage and creativity to challenge injustice and live in truth." Named in honor of Czech dissident playwright and politician Vaclav Havel, who had died the previous December, the award was founded with the help of his widow, Dagmar, Google co-founder Sergeu Brin and Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, provided part of the prizes's funding. The winners of 2015 were the Sudanese nonviolent resistance movement Girifna, The Indonesian stand-up comedian Sakdiyah Maruf and the Cuban graffiti artist and activist El Sexto.
The New York-based Human Rights Foundation has awarded its 2016 Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent to an Iranian cartoonist, a Russian performance artist and an Uzbek photojournalist. "The prize celebrates those who, with bravery and ingenuity, unmask the lie of dictatorship by living the truth," the Foundation said in a release. The committee described Atena Farghadani as a prisoner of conscience of the Iranian regime. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a cartoon she posted on social media depicting parlamentarians with animal heads to criticize a draft law restricting contraception and criminalizing voluntary sterilization. The second laureate, Peter Pavlenski, is a Russian artist best known for a series of performance in which he used self-mutilation to protest the government's political crackdown. He is facing up to three years in jail for setting fire to the main entrance to the headquarters of the security service. The third laureate is Umida Akhmedova, a Uzbekistan photojournalist and the country's first female documentary filmmaker. She has been accused of slander and "damaging the country's image" for publishing a series of photos about life in rural parts of Uzbekistan. "Despite the government's attempts to manufacture a polished, happy image of the country, she exposes the societies," said John Egenaes, secretary of Amnesty International Norway. The three laureates will be honored at a ceremony during the Oslo Freedom Forum this month. They will also share a $43,000 prize.
