“Challenging Power”

“Hundreds of the world’s most influential dissidents, innovators, journalists, philanthropists, and policymakers will unite in the Norwegian capital for a three-day summit exploring how best to challenge authoritarianism and promote free and open societies.”

This week I will be in attendance at the Oslo Freedom Forum here in Norway. 

The conference will be from May 13-15 and will feature great speeches, panels, and informal meeting sessions filled to the brim with the most innovative people advocating for Human Rights across the globe.

I will be writing articles, Tweeting without pause, gathering contacts on the fly, and spreading the message of individual freedom along with some of my Executive Board colleagues of European Students For Liberty.

The full speaker’s list can be found here, along with all the topics and subjects to be covered over the next three action-packed days.

Here are some of my favorites I’ve already picked out:

THE ASYMMETRIC ACTIVIST

Chen Guangcheng – China’s inevitable transformation

Hannah Song – North Korea’s Rising Civil society

Lobsang Sangay – Democracy in Exile (Very close to the name of my very own podcast)

WOMEN UNDER THREAT

Jenan Moussa – Syria’s Uncovered Story

THE POWER OF MEDIA

Sasa Vucinic – Investing in Free Press

Jamie Kirchick- Devil’s Advocates (I will attempt to grill him on why he labeled former Czech President Vaclav Kalus a “failure”)

THE INSTRUMENTS OF CHANGE

Srdja Popovic – Revolution 101

A CLIMATE OF FEAR

Mads Brügger – Rule of Law for sale

FAÇADE CAPITALISM AND ITS THREAT TO HUMAN RIGHTS

Donald Boudreaux – The Case for Economic Freedom (Naturally)

Chee Soon Juan – The Myth of the Benevolent Dictator

The Freedom Forum starts with a bang tomorrow with a press conference at the Grand Hotel, followed by workshops on Data Protection and Technology Innovation which prove essential for protecting peaceful protesters.

More to come from Oslo. Keep European Students For Liberty on your radar!