Editor-in-chief Gérard Biard of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo will reflect on freedom of expression 10 years after the terror attack on his editorial department, which killed twelve people and injured eleven.
Coming to Lillehammer on June 2-3 will mark Biard’s second consecutive year attending World Expression Forum (WEXFO), where he will feature in the final session of the conference, discussing the nurturing of informed citizens for a thriving democracy.
“WEXFO is, for me and for Charlie Hebdo, a great way to explain what we do, what our values are, and why these values are important to us,” Biard said when contributing to the forum in 2024.
“There’s no freedom in nature. It’s a human invention. It’s something you always have to work on. It’s something very fragile.”
At WEXFO 2024, Biard also took the opportunity to meet with local youth engaged in freedom of expression — a meeting that was covered by the Norwegain national media outlet NRK. Once again, he is looking forward to engaging with the young and diverse participants at WEXFO.
“WEXFO is a great platform for communication across generations. It’s a way to learn a human value that I think is a little bit lost: empathy.”
WEXFO is an annual international gathering aimed at promoting freedom of expression and democracy. Held in Lillehammer, Norway, from June 2-3, 2025, the forum unites individuals from the arts, politics, culture, business, media, and young activists worldwide to discuss and reinforce the principles of free expression.
Photos: WEXFO
