The Oslo Freedom Forum is much more than a conference. It’s a display of humanity, solidarity, and hope for the future.
Before the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) became the internationally recognized conference for democracy and human rights it’s now known for, it began as a group of roughly 200 individuals who gathered in the Norwegian capital in 2009 to celebrate the survivors of Communism and Nazism.
It was meant to be a gathering to capture, in a high-quality video production, these heroes in the flesh — those that were still with us, at least.
It was meant to preserve their stories, to record their struggles for the next generation in the hope the world wouldn’t forget. History, unfortunately, has a tendency of repeating itself.
But then the first session proved wildly successful. Each year, OFF boosts the voices of courageous dissidents and exposes the threats to liberal democracy and the day’s most pressing human rights issues. More than 300 voices (and counting), in fact, from more than 100 countries.
For many reasons, Oslo is the perfect home for authoritarians’ agitators: Norway has been fundamental in negotiating peace agreements around the globe and is the place where, at its historic City Hall, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. It’s a country that puts a high value on peaceful democracy.
The Forum has taken its message to other shores, too, from Mexico City to Johannesburg to New York City to Taipei to San Francisco.
OFF has also expanded beyond the conference halls. Through interactive workshops, creative exhibits, and unique networking opportunities, these activists have met and formed lasting partnerships with philanthropists, business leaders, journalists, artists, and academics who wish to support their cause.
HRF staff work from a variety of locations, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Oslo, and Seoul.
Oslo, Norway
Oslo is where it all began in 2009 with the very first Oslo Freedom Forum. Join us for the 17th edition on May 26-28, 2025.
Johannesburg, South Africa
In 2018, we brought OFF to Johannesburg with an amazing list of speakers, including Zimbabwean #ThisFlag movement leader Evan Mawarire and Eritrean journalist and Angolan investigative journalist Rafael Marques de Morais.
Taipei, Taiwan
Since 2018, Taipei has been home to OFF Taiwan, a half-day event featuring talks and performances by the world’s top freedom fighters and dissidents.
New York, New York
Since 2017, New York has hosted its own edition of the Oslo Freedom Forum, bringing together visionary thinkers, activists, and creatives from around the world.
San Francisco, California
HRF brought the Oslo Freedom Forum to the Bay Area in 2012 and 2016, gathering remarkable individuals like American foreign affairs journalist William Dobson, Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, and North Korean defector Hyeonseo Lee.
Miami, Florida
Hosted in Miami, Florida, at the magnificent New World Center, the 2021 OFF included talks from psychiatrist and Humanity Crew founder Dr. Essam Daod, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad.
Mexico City, Mexico
Taking place at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, the 2019 Oslo Freedom Forum in Mexico featured talks from speakers such as Nicaraguan democracy activist Edipcia Dubón, Ecuadorian political cartoonist Xavier “Bonil” Bonilla, and Cuban democracy advocate Rosa María Payá.
Oslo is where it all began in 2009 with the very first Oslo Freedom Forum. Join us for the 17th edition on May 26-28, 2025.
In 2018, we brought OFF to Johannesburg with an amazing list of speakers, including Zimbabwean #ThisFlag movement leader Evan Mawarire and Eritrean journalist and Angolan investigative journalist Rafael Marques de Morais.
Since 2018, Taipei has been home to OFF Taiwan, a half-day event featuring talks and performances by the world’s top freedom fighters and dissidents.
Since 2017, New York has hosted its own edition of the Oslo Freedom Forum, bringing together visionary thinkers, activists, and creatives from around the world.
HRF brought the Oslo Freedom Forum to the Bay Area in 2012 and 2016, gathering remarkable individuals like American foreign affairs journalist William Dobson, Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, and North Korean defector Hyeonseo Lee.
Hosted in Miami, Florida, at the magnificent New World Center, the 2021 OFF included talks from psychiatrist and Humanity Crew founder Dr. Essam Daod, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad.
Taking place at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, the 2019 Oslo Freedom Forum in Mexico featured talks from speakers such as Nicaraguan democracy activist Edipcia Dubón, Ecuadorian political cartoonist Xavier “Bonil” Bonilla, and Cuban democracy advocate Rosa María Payá.
The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.
