Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF)

Since 2009, the Oslo Freedom Forum has brought together the world's leading human rights defenders, dissidents, journalists, artists, and advocates to share firsthand accounts from the front lines of the struggle for freedom.

More than 300 speakers from over 100 countries have taken the stage to share their journeys, bear witness to injustice, and inspire others to defend freedom.

Since 2009, the Oslo Freedom Forum has brought together the world's leading human rights defenders, dissidents, journalists, artists, and advocates to share firsthand accounts from the front lines of the struggle for freedom.

1,500+ people. 111 countries. One shared purpose: dismantling dictatorship.

The 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum brought together the activists, dissidents, journalists, technologists, and artists challenging authoritarianism and building a freer future. Our biggest gathering yet proved one thing: freedom is built together.

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, Hong Kong activist Carmen Lau reflected on the brutal reality of standing up to authoritarianism—and the moment she realized there was no such thing as a "safe" distance.

The fight for freedom often begins with a single act of courage. Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector and Oslo Freedom Forum 2025 speaker, recently shared her family’s extraordinary story with The New York Times — a story of survival, resilience, and the pursuit of a life beyond dictatorship.

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, journalist and co-founder of The Kite Tales @thinink.bsky.social reflected on returning home during Burma's democratic opening, voting for the first time, and the fragile hope that emerged in the interval between decades of military rule and the 2021 coup.

At the Oslo Freedom Forum, Indonesian comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono turned lived experiences into punchlines that challenged repression, proving that a well-timed joke can do more than get a laugh. youtube.com/shorts/QqyrN...

His set was a reminder that laughter isn’t an escape from serious issues; it can be a way of processing them, sharing them and moving them forward.

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, activists, artists, technologists, and changemakers from around the world came together to confront authoritarianism and strengthen the movement for freedom. www.youtube.com/shorts/duXRE...

Their voices capture what makes the Oslo Freedom Forum more than an event—it’s a community united by courage, creativity, and solidarity.

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, activists, artists, technologists, and changemakers from around the world came together to confront authoritarianism and strengthen the movement for freedom. www.youtube.com/shorts/duXRE...

The 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum has come to a close, but the impact of our gathering continues to resonate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T-r...

While the Forum has come to a close, the conversations it sparked are only beginning. We’re excited to stay connected with this remarkable community and to see where the ideas, relationships, and discussions that began here will lead.

The 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum has come to a close, but the impact of our gathering continues to resonate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T-r...

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum.

We hope the stories, ideas, and conversations shared at this year’s Forum inspire you to challenge repression where you encounter it, support those fighting for freedom, and take meaningful action in your own community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum.

A million-dollar bounty hangs over Carmen Lau’s head for demanding democracy in Hong Kong.

At the Oslo Freedom Forum, the exiled activist reflects on surviving tear gas, rubber bullets, surveillance, and the new reality of transnational repression that follows dissidents across borders and into their everyday lives.

The countdown to the Oslo Freedom Forum is on, and @thinink.bsky.social will soon join us in Oslo, Norway.

Drawing on two decades of reporting across Asia, Africa, and Europe, as well as her work establishing Myanmar Now and co-founding @kitetalesmm.bsky.social, she will share how journalism can document lived experiences.

The countdown to the Oslo Freedom Forum is on, and @thinink.bsky.social will soon join us in Oslo, Norway.