Program Committee

Head of Center for International Justice at The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Oslo. Chair of the Board of the Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers’ and Translators’ Association (NFFO). Member of the board of Truth Hounds (Ukraine). Freelance journalist and columnist. Writer of fiction and non-fiction. Received the Norwegian PENs Ossietzky Prize for defending freedom of expression (2004), and The Norwegian Critics’ Prize for Non-Fiction for En norsk tragedie/A Norwegian Tragedy; Anders Behring Breivik and the Massacre on Utøya (Gyldendal 2012; English edition, Polity 2013).

Carlos Egaña (1995) is a New York–based Venezuelan writer. He recently earned his MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish at New York University. He has also taught courses on Gender Studies and Modern North American Fiction at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. He has three books in Spanish in print: a novel titled Reggaeton (Ediciones Puntocero, 2022) and two poetry collections, hacer daño (Oscar Todtmann Editores, 2020) and Los Palos Grandes (dcir ediciones, 2017). And he has written about fine arts, Latin-American politics and pop culture for various Venezuelan and American publications. In his last year of college, Egaña was one of Venezuela’s main student leaders amidst the 2019 presidential crisis.

Sam Rechek is Program Coordinator for the Debate Team at Braver Angels, a U.S. nonprofit that combats political polarization. Sam has spent the last several years defending Americans’ free expression rights. While completing his undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida, he founded a student organization, “First Amendment Forum” (1AF), which developed into a venue for contentious discourse and advocacy for free speech principles. In 2022, Sam and 1AF became plaintiffs in a successful lawsuit against the state of Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act,” a case brought by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He has worked with a number of organizations defending free expression in the U.S., including FIRE, the Florida First Amendment Foundation, and Heterodox Academy. Sam holds a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from USF and an MA in Legal and Political Theory from University College London.

Human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Justice Call organization. His work has centered on building strong and sustainable democracies, promoting peace and stability, and protecting the rights and welfare of civilians.
Khaled has a BA in Law and a master’s in international law from Cairo University and an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard University. As the organizing partner of the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), Khaled has played a key role in fostering youth engagement in the development of inclusive and sustainable societies. Khaled has also served as a former Co-Chair of The United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (UN IANYD).

Sarah McLaughlin is Senior Scholar, Global Expression at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. She studies the relationship between authoritarian governments and global censorship. Her writings about free expression have been published in outlets including Foreign Policy, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, Artsy, and MSNBC. She is currently working on a book about transnational repression in higher education, Authoritarians in the Academy, due next year with Johns Hopkins University Press.

Anne-Thea is Head of Administration at World Expression Forum. Prior to her current position at WEXFO, she worked nine years as Head of the Pegasus and KOMMA-programmes at the Norwegian Festival of Literature. She has a Master’s Degree in Cultural Studies, and professional experience from festivals and events since 2009, including Kongsberg Jazz festival, Dølajazz and Youth Olympic Games.

Bokani Bianca King is a multi-award winning African journalist and communications specialist committed to driving social change and empowering marginalized communities. With a strong background in media, advocacy, and public relations, Ms King has dedicated her career to amplifying voices on issues such as gender-based violence, women’s empowerment, children, and inclusion for persons with disabilities. She uses storytelling and community projects to amplify voices and inspire change. As a passionate advocate, Ms King is dedicated to creating a fair and inclusive society and empowering the next generation of leaders.

Project leader at the Fritt Ord Foundation with background as teacher, lecturer and journalist. Involved in support and grants for students and in educational projects, such as initiatives reaching out to students and others with the aim of highlighting and debating topics on free speech and democracy. 

Kristenn is Managing Director at World Expression Forum AS, as well as a consultant, chair of the Freedom to Publish Committee in the International Publishers Association and chair of Norges Televisjon.

Reihane Taravati, born on March 21, 1991, in Mashhad, is an Iranian photographer, videographer, and women’s rights advocate. She is widely recognized for her role in the 2014 Iranian adaptation of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” music video, titled “Iranians Are Happy.” This video, which aimed to spread joy and positivity, had significant repercussions for its creators. In April 2014, Taravati, along with other individuals involved in the production, was arrested in connection with the video’s release.