From June 3 to 5, the Human Rights Foundation’s (HRF) community will gather once again in Oslo, Norway, for the 16th annual Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF). Since its inception in 2009, OFF has sought to amplify pro-democracy causes, inspire action, and mobilize support from a global audience.
Over three days, attendees will hear from renowned human rights advocates and thought leaders challenging injustice and advancing freedom across the world, including:
Sebastien Lai
Pro-democracy activist and son of Jimmy Lai
Lai is leading the international campaign to free his father, Jimmy Lai, the freedom of speech champion and media entrepreneur imprisoned in Hong Kong on trumped-up charges of “colluding with foreign forces” under Beijing’s national security law.
Meredith Whittaker
President of Signal
Whittaker’s experience spans tech, academia, and government. She founded Google’s Open Research Group and served as the Minderoo research professor and AI Now Institute faculty director at NYU. She has advised governments and civil society organizations on digital privacy and security, artificial intelligence, and more.
Olga González
Venezuelan human rights activist
In 2017, Venezuelan security forces killed González’s husband while he peacefully protested the policies of dictator Nicolás Maduro. Thanks to her advocacy, the police officers involved in his murder were sentenced. She later founded the Committee of Venezuelan Victims and the Leonardo González Barreto Foundation to empower victims of human rights violations in Venezuela.
Sam Rainsy
Co-founder of Cambodia’s main opposition party
Rainsy is the co-founder and interim leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, the country’s major opposition party dissolved in 2017 by the state-controlled supreme court. He went into exile in 2005 amid the rise of Hun Sen, Cambodia’s longest-serving prime minister.
Faisal Saeed Al Mutar
Founder and president of Ideas Beyond Borders
A survivor of the Iraq war and several kidnapping attempts, Al Mutar has experienced extremism firsthand. After finding refuge in the United States, he founded Ideas Beyond Borders, a nonprofit that develops international programs to empower individuals with knowledge often suppressed by authoritarian regimes.
Kholood Khair
Sudanese political analyst
Khair is a Sudanese political analyst specializing in Sudanese politics and democracy efforts after the 2019 ousting of President Omar al-Bashir. She founded the Confluence Advisory and was managing director of Insight Strategy Partners, “think-and-do” tanks based in Khartoum focused on state-building and policy solutions.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear their stories firsthand and join them in the global movement for human rights. Register for OFF today!
You can find additional details about the event and participating speakers at oslofreedomforum.com, and regular updates on our X and Instagram.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Oslo Freedom Forum, please contact sponsorships@hrf.org. If you are interested in attending as a member of the media, please contact press@hrf.org.
If you are interested in bringing your family to the OFF Camp for Kids, please contact offkidscamp@hrf.org by April 15. OFF Kids is an interdisciplinary human rights camp that includes fun activities, sports, and educational programming around the city of Oslo.