Nobel Peace Conference: Presentation of the Sunflower Declaration

On August 31, the 2023 Nobel Peace Conference was held in Oslo, this year focusing on celebrating the achievements of human rights defenders, acknowledging the risks they face, and calling for action to support their vital work.

The event featured speakers including Nobel Peace Prize laureates, young activists, and representatives of the three 2022 laureates, among them Natalia Pinchuk, the wife of Ales Bialiatski.

During the Nobel Peace Conference, the Sunflower Declaration, which calls for the protection of at-risk human rights defenders, was presented. It contains specific recommendations addressed to governments, organizations, businesses, cities, and universities. The Declaration was developed in collaboration with the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates: the Center for Civil Liberties, Memorial, Viasna on behalf of Ales Bialiatski, and has been signed by numerous Nobel Laureates, organizations, foundations, individuals, and universities.

“As we celebrate this important milestone, defenders of human rights are under threat in many parts of the world: Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are under pressure from authoritarian regimes, and weaponization of the law, digital surveillance and hate campaigns are making the work of human rights defenders difficult.

The people who are defending our common rights, need our support and protection,” the Nobel Center states on its website.

You can access the full text of the Declaration here.