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Stefanus Alliance International
Stefanus Alliance International (SAI) is a Norwegian mission- and human rights organization, dedicated to defending freedom of belief and religion as expressed in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organization is based in Oslo, Norway. Its motto, designated in 1996, is: "Together for the persecuted." History ''Stefanus Alliance International'' was established in 1967 by Monrad Norderval, Anutza Moise, Vemund Skard, Else-Marie Skard and Gulbrand Øverbye. It was earlier known as the ''Mission Behind the Iron Curtain'', or the ''Norwegian Mission to the East.'' The organization decided at its meeting of October 29, 2011 to change its name to ''Stefanus Alliance International'' as of January 1, 2012. Activities ''Stefanus Alliance International'' provides support, care, and practical help for churches and individuals who are persecuted or oppressed because of their religious beliefs. The organization also advocates on behalf of Christians and others who ha ...
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Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the Human rights, rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN Drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was accepted by the General Assembly as United Nations General Assembly Resolution 217, Resolution 217 during Third session of the United Nations General Assembly, its third session on 10 December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France. Of the 58 members of the United Nations at the time, 48 voted in favour, none against, eight abstentions, abstained, and two did not vote. A foundational text in the History of human rights, history of human and civil rights, the Declaration consists of 30 articles detailing an individual's "basic rights and fundamental freedoms" and affirming their universal character as inherent, inalienable, and applicable to all human beings. ...
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Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of in 2019, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of in 2021. During the Viking Age the area was part of Viken. Oslo was founded as a city at the end of the Viking Age in 1040 under the name Ánslo, and established as a ''kaupstad'' or trading place in 1048 by Harald Hardrada. The city was elevated to a bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V of Norway around 1300. Personal unions with Denmark from 1397 to 1523 and again from 1536 to 1814 reduced its influence. After being destroyed by a fire in 1624, during the reign of King Christian IV, a new city was built closer to Akershus Fortress and named Christiania in honour of the king. It became a municipality ('' formannskapsdistrikt'') on 1 January 1838. The city fu ...
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Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of Norway. Bouvet Island, located in the Subantarctic, is a dependency of Norway; it also lays claims to the Antarctic territories of Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land. The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo. Norway has a total area of and had a population of 5,425,270 in January 2022. The country shares a long eastern border with Sweden at a length of . It is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast and the Skagerrak strait to the south, on the other side of which are Denmark and the United Kingdom. Norway has an extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea. The maritime influence dominates Norway's climate, with mild lowland temperatures on the se ...
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Monrad Norderval
Monrad Oskar Norderval (1902–1976) was a Norwegian bishop in the Church of Norway. Norderval was born in Ålesund, Norway in 1902. He graduated with the cand.theol. degree in 1928 from the Royal Frederick University in Oslo. He began his ministry as an assistant pastor in Skjervøy in 1929. He then served as vicar in Tana from 1929–1935, in Ørsta from 1935–1948, Ålesund from 1948–1961, and was the bishop of the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland from 1961–1972. He also published poems, essay collections, and memoirs. He died in Ålesund in 1976. He was one of the founders of the human rights organization ''Mission Behind the Iron Curtain'', a precursor to Stefanus Alliance International Stefanus Alliance International (SAI) is a Norwegian mission- and human rights organization, dedicated to defending freedom of belief and religion as expressed in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organization is based in .... References 1902 birt ...
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Forum 18
Forum 18 is a Norwegian human rights organization that promotes religious freedom. The organization's name is based on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Forum 18 summarizes the article as: *The right to believe, to worship and witness *The right to change one's belief or religion *The right to join together and express one's belief The ''Forum 18 News Service'', established by Forum 18 on March 13, 2003, is a web and e-mail initiative to report on threats and actions against the religious freedom of all people, whatever their religious affiliation, in an objective, truthful and timely manner. The first three reporters to lead this project were Felix Corley, Geraldine Fagan, and Igor Rotar. They had previously done similar reporting for the UK-based Keston News Service and continued this work at Forum 18 after Keston Institute closed its news service due to financial difficulties and staff changes. The news service mainly concentrates on the states of the fo ...
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Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom and works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs, persecuted for other religious belief or persecuted for lack of belief. Its current president is Jonathan Aitken, who succeeded Baroness Cox in 2006. CSW's team of specialist advocates work on over 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, to ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is upheld and protected. Their vision is a world free from religious persecution, where everyone can practise a religion or belief of their choice. Independent advocacy CSW indicates that it is independent of any government or political persuasion, but as an advocacy organisation, CSW also aims to influence governments and other bodies on religious freedom issues in the international arena. The CSW strives to influence attitudes and behaviours, legislation and policies that lead to ...
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Stefanus Prize
The Stefanus Prize is a human rights prize awarded to individuals for their outstanding contributions to defending freedom of religion or belief as defined by the Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. History The Stefanus Prize was established in 2005 by the Norwegian NGO Stefanus Alliance International, and has been awarded biennially since 2008. The award ceremony takes place in November in Oslo, Norway. The first recipient of the Stefanus Prize was the Coptic Orthodox Bishop Thomas of Egypt. He received the award on November 11, 2005 for his "fearless and courageous commitment to freedom of belief and human rights in Egypt." Selection Committee The laureates are chosen by a committee appointed by the Stefanus Alliance International. The committee was composed of following members in 2020: Ingvill Thorson Plesner (researcher at HL-senteret), Erling Rimehaug (editor and writer), Anne Beathe Kristiansen Tvinnereim (politician]), and Ingunn Yri Øystese (boar ...
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Bjørn Wegge
Bjørn Agnar Wegge (born 28 August 1947) is a former Norwegian NGO Director. Degree from University of Oslo: Cand. Philol. Between 2002 and 2013, Wegge served as the secretary-general of Stefanus Alliance International, formerly named Norwegian Mission to the East, a Christian missions and human rights organisation, with a special focus on freedom of belief and religion as expressed in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Career After studying theology, musicology and folklore at University of Oslo ( MA degree in Religion and Philosophy), he worked as a teacher at Tryggheim Folk High School (1995-1997) and later as Director of Culture in Hå municipality (1997-1980). From 1980 to 1987 he was Director of Information and Public Relations at the Strømme Foundation, Kristiansand. During this period he attended intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, Los Angeles USA. In 1987 he accepted the position of information director of Norwegian Santal Miss ...
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Religious Organisations Based In Norway
Religion is usually defined as a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements; however, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine, sacred things, faith,Tillich, P. (1957) ''Dynamics of faith''. Harper Perennial; (p. 1). a supernatural being or supernatural beings or "some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life". Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religions have sa ...
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Human Rights Organisations Based In Norway
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, and language. Humans are highly social and tend to live in complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families and kinship networks to political states. Social interactions between humans have established a wide variety of values, social norms, and rituals, which bolster human society. Its intelligence and its desire to understand and influence the environment and to explain and manipulate phenomena have motivated humanity's development of science, philosophy, mythology, religion, and other fields of study. Although some scientists equate the term ''humans'' with all members of the genus ''Homo'', in common usage, it generally refers to ''Homo sapiens'', the only extant member. Anatomically modern huma ...
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