Event

Defending the defenders

Protestor for pro-choice and police block
Photo: © Rafal Milach / The Archive of Public Protests / Magnum Photos

What can we do to support human rights defenders in the world today? Welcome to a breakfast meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor.

Time: 16 May 2023 06:00 - 08:00 CEST
Place: Norwegian Nobel Institute

In 2023 we mark the anniversary of two important human rightsinstruments: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is 75 years old, and it is 25 years since the UN approved the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

It is a year to celebrate the important work done by human rights defenders across the world. It is a year to reflect on the risk human rights defenders continue to face. It is a timely moment to look at our own efforts to support human rights defenders and reflect on what more can be done.

On this important occasion, the Nobel Peace Center, the United Nations Association of Norway and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund, have the pleasure to invite you to this breakfast-meeting where we will look more closely at what Norway does for human rights defenders today, and to discuss what more can be done locally/nationally/internationally to support human rights and human rights defenders.

Programme

08:00 Doors open. Coffee and light breakfast is served.

08:30 Welcoming words by Kjersti Fløgstad, Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center. Introduction by Ingeborg Moa, Executive Director of the Norwegian Human Rights Fund.

08:35 Opening remarks by Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anniken Huitfeldt

08:50 Panel conversation with UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, PhD-researcher Sandra Petersen, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the University of Oslo, The Vice Mayor for Culture and Sport in Oslo, Omar Samy Gamal and Pakistani human rights defender Naghma Iqtidar..

09:45 End of programme

About nobel peace talks

The event is part of the series Nobel Peace Talks, highlighting topics related to the Nobel Peace Prize to Ales Bialiatski, Memorial and Center for Civil Liberties. Nobel Peace Talks is supported by Fritt Ord, Hydro and Reitan Retail.

The event is co-organised with Norwegian Human rights fund and FN-sambandet.