Nominations for WEXFO Young Experts 2027 are open

World Expression Forum (WEXFO) is calling on former WEXFO participants to sign an urgent joint statement in support of Imaan Mazari-Hazir, a prominent human rights lawyer, WEXFO alumna, and recipient of the 2025 WEXFO Young Inspiration Award.

The winner of the “Young People’s Public Address” writing competition is Eline Ruud Kristiansen for the text “I Am a Little Afraid,” performed at the Public Meeting for Freedom of Expression during the Norwegian Festival of Literature and the World Expression Forum.

The World Expression Forum (WEXFO) 2026 takes place at a time when freedom of expression is under growing attack. Speaking out is becoming more difficult. Not only because of censorship and repression, but because fear, polarization, hostility, and distrust force more people to self-censor.

Nepali activist Pema Wangmo Lama (26) has been awarded the WEXFO Young Inspiration Award during the World Expression Forum in Lillehammer, Norway.

When people withdraw from public debate because they cannot bear the aggression, the suspicion, or the online shaming, something in democracy has already changed.

The World Expression Forum (WEXFO) welcomes Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue and the Norwegian Authors’ Union as new shareholders.

The World Expression Forum (WEXFO) has launched the program for WEXFO 2026, “The Freedom to Disagree” – an international conference addressing the shrinking space for disagreement worldwide.

World Expression Forum (WEXFO) is now inviting young people from Norway aged 18–25 to apply for WEXFO More Young Voices 2026 – an international Erasmus+ group exchange focused on freedom of expression, youth participation, and democratic engagement.

WEXFO 2026 will be guided on stage by program committee chair Arizza Nocum and journalist Chetan Rastogi as the conference convenes in Lillehammer on 1–2 June under the theme “The Freedom to Disagree.”

World Expression Forum (WEXFO) announces award-winning documentary presenter Louis Theroux as speaker at this year’s global freedom of expression conference in Lillehammer June, 1-3.