The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression

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The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression (Det Norske Akademi for Litteratur og Ytringsfrihet) is a Norwegian institution, founded in 2003, and also called Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet. Its objective is to promote understanding of cultures other than our own and for literary free speech. The membership includes Norwegian and foreign students, authors, politicians and journalists. The organizaitons 2005 President is Knut Ødegård. The current members of the committee include Jahn Otto Johansen, Marit Bjørnson Barkbu (a descendant of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson), Thorvald Steen, Eugene Schoulgin, Jostein Sæbøe and Kari Vogt. The chief administrator Rolf Myhre of Molde.

[edit] The Bjørnson Prize awards

The association annually awards the international (Bjørnsonprisen) which includes a cash award of 100,000 kroner (approximately 12,500€). Recipients of the award were:

• 2006 Hrant Dink, Editor-in-Chief of the Armenian bi-lingual weekly paper Agos (Istanbul)
• 2005 Esma Redzepova (Republic of Macedonia), for championing the Roma people.^[1]
• 2004 Vivian Fouad and Samir Morcos (Egypt), for promotion of relations between Muslims and Christians

The prize ceremony is held in the fall in conjunction with the annual seminar held at the historic Bjørnson house in Molde.

[edit] References and notes

1. ^ The Roma people are often referred to as Gypsies.