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International Week in Bergen, to be held on September 18-24, will focus on the UN millennium goals for poverty reduction, aimed to be achieved within 2015. International Week is arranged and supported by The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the City of Bergen, the UN-Association – Western Norway in cooperation with several organizations and institutions, like the Rafto House. The Rafto House will especially emphasize the right to education as described in Art. 26 in the UN Declaration for Human Rights. (09-SEP-2004)
 

The International NGO, Peace Boat from Japan, made her visit to Bergen and the Rafto Human Rights House on 26 August 2004. Peace Boat is an educational and networking NGO, working for intercultural understanding, human rights, sustainable development and the environment. Around 950 young peace activists participate on this global voyage itinerary to 97 countries, the 46th cruise since the start in 1983. (30-AUG-2004)

AFS (worldwide) has been chosen the Overall Winner in the Social Achievement category of the 2003 Associations Make a Better World awards program. The program, run by the American Society of Association Executives, in coordination with the Global Forum of Societies of Association Executives “recognizes outstanding examples of associations who make a significant contribution to societies and economies world wide.” (17-AUG-04)

The Collective of Saharawi human rights activists, including Rafto Laureate Sahara Sidi Mohamed Dadach, recently sent a letter to the Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, expressing their warm thanks and sincere gratitude for “the praiseworthy efforts and the noble and brave position” undertaken by the Norwegian government in order to ensure respect and promotion of human rights in Western Sahara. (10-JULY-04)

Mr. Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic, contributed an editorial on the North Korean human rights situation to the South Korean newspaper, Chosun Ilbo. In this editorial, which was printed in the Washington Post, as well, Mr. Havel urges the democratic countries of the world — the European Union, the United States, Japan, South Korea — to take a common position. (20-JUNE-04)

The Kurdish Joan of Arc, Leyla Zana, and three other prominent Kurdish MPs have been freed after ten years from Turkish jail pending on appeal. The 1994 Rafto Prize award recipient, said after her release; “Today is not the day to fuel sad feelings or pain, today is the day for brotherhood and understanding.”  (22-JUNE-04)

In the monthly programme Wednesday Dialogue, Raftohuset arranged a seminar about Palestine.
The seminar was held on the 2nd of June, with the title “Palestine – the Lost Land, the Palestinians
from one tent to another”.  Around 40 people attended the seminar and took part in the discussions on Palestine: the land, the people, the humanity and the hope. (11-JUN-2004)

The War and Children Identity Project (WCIP) in Bergen will soon release their third report
“The War Children of the World – Report 3 – 2004” which will summarize the latest accomplishments of the project, and present new selected articles concerning the situation of war children all over the world, as well as articles discussing the problems of research withing this issue. (10-JUNE-04)

The support group for North Korea was established as part of a continuation effort following the Rafto Prize for the year 2000. North Korea can be characterised as one of the worst totalitarian and closed societies in the history of the world. “The beloved leader” Kim Jong-II is one of the worst tyrants in modern times and is in charge of a regime were human rights consistently are broken. (10-MAY-2004).