Oslo Scholars

Oslo Freedom Forum Day 3

by Kelly Vo
Jul 11

Today is the third and final day of the 2023 Oslo Freedom Forum. Though the past couple days have been filled with an abundance of new experiences, today definitely felt the most unique. During yesterday’s theatre session it was announced that the final day of OFF would be different this year: the forum would take over a festival venue called SALT located on the beautiful Oslo waterfront. The day would be filled not only with OFF’s regular panels and discussions, but also art, food-trucks, music, and saunas. This was not what I had in mind when picturing a prominent human rights conference, but it was definitely intriguing. When we arrived at SALT the set-up was exactly as they had described, like a human rights festival. Some rooms were filled with art-installation while others had interactive booths, food, or drinks. At first it seemed odd to me that a human rights conference could be so casual and lively.

Jul 11

Oslo Freedom Forum Day 2

by Kelly Vo

The second day of the Oslo Freedom Forum started with keynote talks on the main stage, bringing about emotions throughout ranging from devastation and defeat to hope and pure joy. Journalist Abraham Jaménez Enoa admitted that he will likely never be able to go back to his home country of Cuba.

Jul 11

Sam’s June 13th Oslo Freedom Forum Reflection

by Kelly Vo

Prior to the first day of the Oslo Freedom Forum, I heard from previous attendees that it is one of the most important human rights conferences in the world. Only after a few theater sessions and a couple talks with attending human rights advocates was I able confirm this for myself.

Jul 11

Michaela's Blog

by Kelly Vo

Everyone I spoke to this weekend had a story. Some stories were about the innovative, impactful organizations they ran. Some were about how they got there in the first place. Some were the stories they were able to capture on their media platforms, or the stories they were able to support through their international alliances.

Jul 11

Oslo Freedom Forum: Gender and Human Rights, by Abigail Elsbree

by MH

Among the many new concepts that I learned during my three days at the Oslo Freedom Forum, I was particularly interested in the term “gender apartheid.” I first heard it used during an afternoon panel on the first day titled “Iran: The Final Revolution?” Human rights attorney Gissou Nia defined gender apartheid by reminding the audienc

Sep 13

Reflections on Sarajevo, by Emma Jennings (A24)

by MH

A great thing about working for CANVAS, and the ability

Aug 29

Arriving in Belgrade and Working with CANVAS, by Emma Jennings (A24)

by MH

I’ve been living in Belgrade for over a month now, and

Aug 19

Uncovering Decades of Power Right in the Kitchen of Gene Sharp by Liz Shelbred (A22)

by heatherbarry

One day in early July, I had the chance to visit the home of the late Dr. Gene Sharp, founder of the Albert Einstein Institution (AEI) and life-long scholar of nonviolent action.

Jul 20

Power Plays: Exploring Nonviolent Movements at CANVAS by Frankie Michielli (A22)

by tuftsigl

As a rising senior at Tufts, I have come to realize that the beauty of my education is that, every so often, I take a class that greatly alters my perspective about the relationship between peoples, states, and institutions.

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