May 28, 2024 – Lillehammer, Norway
Justice Call’s Executive Director, Khaled Emam, joined by Sarra Messaoudi, Atta Khaled, and Thair Al Kiswani, co-leads at the MENA Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, participated in the World Expression Forum (WEXFO) Take Action conference. This event is dedicated to advancing youth engagement in freedom of expression. Formerly known as the WEXFO Youth Network Conference, the event has been rebranded to better reflect its action-oriented approach and attract a broader audience.
According to Project Manager Hilde Fauskerud, “The new title emphasizes the practical, action-oriented nature of the conference, highlighting its role in empowering participants to actively engage in and advance youth and young adults’ freedom of expression.”
The 2024 conference featured 19 speakers and focused on the theme “The Kids Are Not All Right,” addressing the significant challenges young people face concerning freedom of expression. It aimed to inspire and empower participants by spotlighting best practices and encouraging concrete advocacy actions. The event brought together various organizations, stakeholders, and voices from around the world to strengthen freedom of expression worldwide.
During the WEXFO Take Action conference, Atta Khaled, a co-lead at the MENA Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, delivered a powerful message emphasizing the need for global collaboration to uphold freedom of expression. Addressing the audience, Atta stated, “Let us collaborate together against double standards and violations of our right to #freedom of expression, granted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” His remarks highlighted the importance of solidarity in confronting the challenges faced by youth and activists advocating for free speech worldwide.
Khaled Emam participated in the closing panel discussion titled “The Global Free Speech Recession – and How to Fight It,” alongside Irene Khan (UN), Kjartan Sverdrup (TikTok Norway & Sweden), and Lubna Jaffery (Norwegian Minister of Culture and Equality). During the panel, Khaled emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, stating, “Let us collaborate together against double standards and violations of our right to #freedom of expression, granted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
The rebranded WEXFO Take Action conference will continue to serve as a dynamic platform, complementing the main WEXFO conference by focusing on practical efforts to strengthen freedom of expression for youth worldwide.
#FreedomOfExpression #WEXFO #YouthEngagement #JusticeCall
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