Oslo Freedom Forum To Return to Taiwan After Two-Year Hiatus

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (October 12, 2022) – After a two-year hiatus, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce the official return of the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) to Taiwan, a country recognized worldwide for its achievements in democracy and human rights. The event will be held on November 3 at the Grand Hyatt Taipei, featuring mainstage speakers, an interactive exhibition, and private roundtable discussions. Attendees will hear first-hand stories from world-renowned human rights activists and connect with a global community dedicated to making the world more free, open, and peaceful.

The Human Rights Foundation established OFF in 2009 to give a platform to remarkable dissidents who courageously confront authoritarianism. In 2018, the Forum first came to Taipei with ten renowned speakers whose mainstage talks received repeated standing ovations. In 2019, the Forum returned to Taiwan for the second time. It attracted global attention when it again brought ten international heavyweight speakers, including Cantopop star and pro-democracy activist Denise Ho, who discussed the 2019 Anti-Extradition Movement in Hong Kong. The return of the Oslo Freedom Forum to Taipei this year marks Taiwan as the most frequent host country of the OFF conference outside of the United States and Norway.

Over the past few years, several developments have revealed that human rights abuses are growing increasingly rampant: the United Nations’ acknowledgment of “re-education” camps in the Uyghur Region, the forceful passage of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, crimes against humanity committed by the Russian armed forces in the Russia-Ukraine War, human trafficking in Cambodia, and the array of untold crimes of Burma’s military government.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world turned its focus to the Taiwan Strait. In the face of China’s authoritarian aggression to forcefully annex Taiwan, Taiwan continues to defend the rights of its citizens and uphold universal values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. The country stands at the forefront of the world’s fight against authoritarianism, receiving growing support from the international community. Thus, the Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan is more important than ever.

Jenny Wang, Senior Strategy & Research Associate at the Human Rights Foundation, stated, “Once again, our choice to host the Oslo Freedom Forum in Taipei this year was made in light of the vital role Taiwan plays in safeguarding human rights and in the global struggle for freedom. We look forward to bringing the Oslo Freedom Forum experience back to Taiwan, shining a global spotlight on the country’s commitment to democracy and human rights.”

With the theme of “Champion of Change,” HRF hopes to honor the activists and their initiatives to promote human rights and freedom. Everyone has the potential to effect positive changes — either as a champion on an individual level or as part of a larger movement. After a two-year hiatus from Taiwan, the Human Rights Foundation warmly invites you to join the Oslo Freedom Forum on November 3 in Taipei to become Champions of Change together.

The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is a transformative conference series produced by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). At OFF, the world’s most engaging human rights advocates, artists, journalists, technologists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, academics, and world leaders meet to share their stories and brainstorm ways to expand freedom and unleash human potential across the globe. Learn more at www.oslofreedomforum.com.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.