isfit09

Friday 27th February

Freedom of speech vs. freedom from humiliation

Should there be a limit to free speech? If so, what limits should there be and at what point? Who should exercise these limits? And who has the right to define when humiliation has occurred? These were the issues discussed in this very emotionally engaging plenary session.

Part of openDemocracy's blog by participants at the International Student Festival in Trondheim

“An enemy is really a friend waiting to be made”

It was an occasion to remember when the Grand Hall of the Student Society of Trondheim hosted Archbishop Desmond Tutu during ISFiT 2009's first plenary session, Ubuntu.

Part of openDemocracy's blog by participants at the International Student Festival in Trondheim 

Empowering women

We are used to hearing of women as victims. How can women be empowered instead of victimized? How can women gain the right to be seen as full individuals? During this ISFiT Plenary Session, Nobel Peace Prize Laurate Dr. Shirin Ebadi engaged the audience in her fight for equality between men and women.

Part of openDemocracy's blog by participants at the International Student Festival in Trondheim 

Sunday 22nd February

Exemplary non-violence

When Antero Benedito da Silva and ETSSC (The East-Timor Student Solidarity Council) won the very first Student Peace Prize in 1999, da Silva was living with terror and violence in East-Timor. Students were fighting for peace and resolution for the conflict in their country, and da Silva had brought the struggle to an international level. But the road towards peace in East-Timor was not easy for the Student Peace Prize laureate.

Elkouria “Rabab” Amidane wins student peace prize

Amidane uses peaceful means in her fight for human rights for Sahrawis. She has been exposed to torture and arrested by the Moroccan police several times

United Notions of Peace

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre assesses the successes and failures of the UN with ISFiT - and asks what role can student organisations play in the future

Breaking the Ice

Norwegian snowball fights for conflict resolution
Thursday 19th February

openDemocracy supports the International Student Festival in Trondheim (ISFIT)

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