The first speakers for this year’s WEXFO, which takes place from 27-28 May in Lillehammer, Norway, include Iranian journalist and activist Taghi Rahmani – he is the husband of jailed Iranian rights campaigner and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi – and investigative journalist Christo Grozev.

First sessions and speakers:

Status of Freedom of Expression Featuring Staffan Lindberg (Professor and Director of the V-Dem Institute at University of Gothenburg) and  Arizza Nocum  (President of KRIS)

AI – Threat or Tool for Freedom of Expression? Featuring Adele Matheson Mestad (Director of Norwegian National Human Rights Institution) and Svenja Hahn (Member of the European Parliament)

Burning Religious Symbols – Expression or Vandalism? Featuring Seyran Ates (Imam, lawyer and feminist), Ezzedine Fishere (Senior Lecturer, novelist and diplomat), Anine Kierulf (Special Adviser and Associate Professor of constitutional law) and Anders Lindberg (political edition-in-chief at Aftonbladet)

Pillars of Trust in Electoral Processes Featuring Paulina Kieszkowska (attorney-at-law), Vlad Troitskyi (theatre producer, director, playwriter and scenographer) and Felicia Anthonio (Campaign Manager at Access Now)

The Global Free Speech Recession – and How to Fight It? Featuring Taghi Rahmani (political activist, journalist and writer), Irene Khan (UN Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression) and Lubna Jaffery (Norwegian Minister of Culture and Equality)

Breakout sessions and workshops:

Threat, Censorship or Self-censorship – How to Protect Artistic Freedom? Featuring Peter Ter Velde (television reporter and Middle East correspondent)

Fact-checking and Open Sources Featuring Christo Grozev (investigative journalist)

Access to Information, Book and Ideas – How to Advance the Freedom to Read? Featuring Miha Kovac (Former publisher, Professor at the Department of Library and
Information Science and Book Studies at the University of Ljubljana)

The Israel-Hamas War – How to Secure the Freedom of Expression Featuring Yama Wolasmal (Middle East correspondent for Norwegian state broadcasting,
NRK)

Trust in Media – How to Build Resilient Journalism under Threat?

Take advantage of WEXFO’s Very Early Bird discount offer and order conference passes before 15 February.

WAN-IFRA is a partner and supporter of WEXFO, the World Expression Forum. WEXFO is a meeting place and driving force for global cooperation to ensure freedom of expression for future generations. The Forum aims to ensure and empower global free speech based on high-level guidance, best practices, and high-quality analysis. WEXFO is a common arena for those with a firm belief in freedom of expression as a prerequisite for global sustainable development. WEXFO was established as an ideal joint stock company on 20 August 2021. The WEXFO annual conference takes place in Lillehammer, Norway, in May/June. In connection with the conference, WEXFO also organises WEXFO Youth Lillehammer, WEXFO Youth Network Conference in Lillehammer, WEXFO Young Experts, and WEXFO Youth seminars at Utøya.