Tuesday, March 18, 2014
YOUTH AGAINST INJUSTICE!
It should not take more than three youths who take personal injustice. On 1 March invited Andrew Selvig Odegaard, Juliane Therese Godager Thorbjørnsen and Darya Owren youth between 13 and 19 years to a workshop where freedom of expressionand the case of the Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega were central. On the 13th March takes the next step with a solidarity action. Youth is again invited to turn ring on freedom of expression, literally.
Andreas attending Amnesty’s project management program . He will conduct a akjson where he focuses on journalists’ freedom of expression and the unfair treatment of Eskinder Nega . The Ethiopian journalist has been given a prison sentence of 18 years for having made speeches criticizing the government, and to have required a greater protection of the right to freedom of
expression. 1 March total Andreas, Juliane and Darya 30 enthusiastic youngsters to workshop to make alternative newspaperfront pages to focus on Eskinder Nega his case.
13 March organized solidarity action where 30-40 young people to stand in a circle with their own “special paper” outside VG-house. The aim is to create awareness about the importance of freedom of expression and shed light on how fatal it can be when critical voices are silenced. The demonstration will take place on 13 March at 17.00 in front of VG-house, where you too can join in! In our meeting with Andreas tells him why this case engages him, and why he encourages everyone to join wanted to support the freedom of expression.
Tell me about the first time you let yourself inspire by injustice?
I’ve always had strong opinions and was particularly involved in the events around the world. But it was only in high schoolthat I really realized that I could make that commitment and my strong opinions about the action. Therefore I joined Amnesty International.
What inspires you to use your “voice”?
What inspires me most is all the people around the world who have so much to lose by opening your mouth and say anything, but that still does. All those who sacrifice life and limb for what they believe in and and struggling against oppressive regimes and dictators. Here in Norway we are so protected, we live so well and safely. Of course, I use my voice when people without this protection and safety of dry doing it.
What makes you passionate about this issue?
The case of Eskinder Nega is a typical example of someone who has opened his mouth and meant something, in spite of the consequences it would get. Something that also fascinates me Eskinder is his endurance. He has now been jailed eight times but it does not seem to discourage him. It is so incredibly important that we can show him that there’s more that believe on his wishes and dreams for Ethiopia.
What made you chose this particular form of expression?
As a journalist, I think Eskinder would agree to free speech effect. The desire is to show that we in Norway are also incredibly addicted to this freedom. We can not turn the ring about Eskinder and his newspaper in Ethiopia, but we can turn the ring about a Norwegian newspaper and hope that people become aware. To use the newspapers to this campaign refers to Eskinder work as a journalist, but it is also about what is not in Norwegian newspapers. We have had to create new cover pages where freedom of speech and Eskinder Nega is at the center because the Norwegian newspapers simply do not write about issues that Eskinder her.
What do you take personal injustice?
For me it comes naturally, I realize just why I should accept the atrocities taking place in the world. I have grown up in a society based on openness, trust and fairness. Not a perfect society, but a good starting point. I see that there are infinitely large improvement in the world, and know that it is so small it takes that many could be better. Much of the world’s population can not decide for themselves, they are bound to the will of a dictator or a corrupt regime. I had not accepted this, why am I accepting that others suffer the same fate?
