|
|
'The Life and Work of Peter Forsskål. A Symposium in Honour of Carl Gustaf Spangenberg' |
|
02 December 2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
A lecture on Peter Forsskål by Marie-Christine Skuncke (Uppsala), Prof. em. of Literature, expert on Swedish Enlightenment; and a dialogue between her and David Goldberg. |
|
|
Please click here to watch. |
|
|
|
|
|
Forsskålsymposium 2019: The future of Democracy |
|
Sal IX, Universitetshuset, Biskopsgatan 3, Uppsala |
|
28 November 2019 |
|
|
The panel was led by Ulrika Knutson, journalist. On the panel were: Per Wirtén, journalist and author; Eva Erman, professor Political Science, Stockholm University; Stina Oscarson, director; and Jan Teorell, professor Political Science, Lund University. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The keynote lecture was delivered by Sten Widmalm, Professor in Political Science, Uppsala University. He is Professor in political science at the Department of Government, Uppsala University. His research areas are: democratic development, conflict studies, crisis management, decentralization, and corruption. And he does his research on such topics in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Europe. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Project Forsskal member Maria Lindstedt and a copy of the Forsskal portrait |
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the panel were (from left to right): Ulrika Knutson, journalist; Per Wirtén, journalist and author; Eva Erman, professor Political Science, Stockholm University; Stina Oscarson, director; and Jan Teorell, professor Political Science, Lund University |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The web page for this event can be found here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glasgow City Chambers, Glasgow, Scotland |
|
07 June 2019 |
|
|
Project Forsskal was invited by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Eva Borland, and the Swedish Ambassador to the UK, Torbjorn Sohlstrom, to attend a civic reception in the Glasgow City Chambers on 7th June 2019. |
|
|
The reception marked the visit by the Embassy to the city (there was a pop-up Embassy in the main square in a bus!) and to celebrate Scottish-Swedish relations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baku, Azerbaijan |
|
13 May 2019 |
|
|
David Goldberg presented at a conference “Gender equality and media” under its project “Gender equality and media freedom in Azerbaijan” in partnership with the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, the Ombudsman Office and the Azerbaijan Press Council. |
|
|
|
|
|
Click here for details. |
|
|
Project Forsskal took the opportunity to present all participants with a copy of Thoughts on Civil Liberty translated into Azerbaijani, http://www.peterforsskal.info/thetext-az.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
University of Podgorica, Montenegro |
|
11 December 2018 |
|
|
David Goldberg gave a presentation to journalism students at University of Podgorica about Forsskål's influence on 1766 law using the Serbian translation of Tankar (not shown in picture). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Almedalsbiblioteket (the Almedal Library), Visby, Gotland |
|
29 January 2018 |
|
|
Gunilla Jonsson gave a presentation about
Peter Forsskål, natural scientist, Orientalist and philosopher. |
|
|
Peter
Forsskål's pamphlet Thoughts on Civil Liberty(1759) has been
translated into 20 languages from 2009 until the present day and is
now also extensively presented in Litteraturbanken. The text is our
earliest and most explicit plea for freedom of the press and the
principles which constitute the foundation for freedom of expression. |
|
|
The portrait was ordered by Forsskål before he went away on the Danish
research expedition to "Arabia Felix"
The background is Stockholm in the 1770's, painted by Johan Sevenbom. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ramsberg (near Gammelbo and Loa), Sweden |
|
03 April 2017 |
|
|
Maria Lindstedt (one of the group who translated Tankar into English for the first time ever in the mid 1990s) spoke about Peter Forsskal. The lecture, arranged by a local church, was attended by locals and some representatives from a Theatre in Stadra, near Nora. This summer, it will put on performances of a play called Arabia Felix, about the voyage to Yemen with Forsskål and the other scientists. |
|
For more details click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Swedish permanent representation at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France |
|
26 January 2017 |
|
|
Seminar "Losing our Rights?" moderated by Ambassador Torbjörn Haak: Freedom of the Press and giving the public access to information |
|
Project Forsskal members Helena Jäderblom, Judge at the Court of Human Rights, and Jonas Nordin, Phd, National Library of Sweden, engaged in a discussion on the importance of this topic. |
|
|
|
|
|
Photograph courtesy of the Swedish Permanent Representative at the Council of Europe and the Council of Europe, Strasbourg |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Archives of Finland, the Science Forum 2017 (Tieteiden yö) |
|
12 January 2017 |
|
|
Ere Pertti Nokkala gave a presentation entitled: "Limits of Freedom in the Age of Freedom - Peter Forsskal's Thoughts on Civil Liberty (1759)". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tel Aviv: Seminar on the Freedom of the Press and Information: The Israeli Perspective 250 years after the first freedom of information law 1766 |
|
15 December 2016 |
|
|
Welcoming remarks: HE Carl Magnus Nesser, Ambassador of Sweden HE Anu Saarela, Ambassador of Finland |
|
History of the Freedom of Press in Sweden: Peter Forsskal's inspiration Dr David Goldberg |
|
Panel discussion. Freedom of the Press and Information: The Israeli Perspective Panelists: Journalists Ilana Dayan, Ben-Dror Yemini, and Professor Itzhak Galnoor Moderated by journalist Barak Ravid |
|
For the Jersalem Post's coverage of this event click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vienna: Conference - Access to information: Measuring Progress 250 Years On |
|
12 December 2016 |
|
|
The event brought together some 120 participants, including from government institutions, media outlets, academia and international legal organizations, to discuss the importance of access to information (ATI), the role it plays for openness and transparency in our societies, lessons learned from participating States in defending and upholding this basic human right, and the challenges ATI faces ahead. |
|
The discussions focussed on the frameworks for ATI standards in the context of international governmental organizations, open data and its legal consequences for ATI laws, as well as practical examples of using ATI channels to obtain public information from nine OSCE participating States. Project Forsskal was invited to give the Keynote Address |
|
|
|
For the annotated agenda and programme, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Free Word Centre, London |
|
08 December 2016 |
|
|
The aim of this event was to commemorate, celebrate and scrutinise the adoption of this law as well as to discuss its relevance and significance today, in a national as well as in a global context. |
|
Freedom of Information Act at 250: Panel Discussion - for more details of this click here. |
|
Freedom of Information Act at 250: Moderated Discussions - for more details of this click here. |
|
For an audiofile of this event please click here. |
|
For Tweets relating to this event, click here. |
|
For an account of the event, reproduced with kind permission of Privacy Laws and Business http://www.privacylaws.com/ (January 2017) click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles USA |
|
04 November 2016 |
|
|
Freedom of Information Laws on the Global Stage: Past, Present and Future. The first session was presented by Jonas Nordin and David Goldberg and was on Sweden’s Seminal Role in the History of FOI. |
|
For the programme please click here. |
|
For videos of this event please click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
Photograph courtesy of Southwestern Law School |
|
|
|
Support for this conference was provided by the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Davis Wright Tremaine LLC, and Levine Sullivan Koch and Schulz LLC. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent Information Commission of Liberia |
|
26-27 October 2016 |
|
|
Peter Forsskål was publicised at a training event in Monrovia for the Independent Information Commission of Liberia, organized by Internews and Albany, delivered by Joan Barata Mir.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Event held at Swedish Ambassadors residence, Singapore |
|
20 October 2016 |
|
|
"250 years with the Freedom of the Press Act" |
|
For the programme, please click here. |
|
For the article on the Embassey of Sweden's website click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Symposium held at University of Edinburgh |
|
07 October 2016 |
|
|
"250 Years of Press Freedom Sweden's Contribution to Open Communications" |
|
For the Programme click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glasgow: International Right To Know Day 28th September 2016: |
|
World’s First Freedom of Information law is 250 this year |
|
28 September 2016 |
|
|
On International Right to Know Day (Wednesday 28 September 2016), the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland (CFoIS) organised a seminar in Strathclyde University, Glasgow, which both celebrated the 250th Anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information (FoI) law in Sweden, and looked for ways to improve Scotland’s eleven year-old law. The seminar was jointly hosted by the CFoIS and the University of Strathclyde. It featured Dr David Goldberg, an expert on Peter Forsskal and Sweden’s FoI law of 1766 and Rob Edwards, Environment Editor of the Sunday Herald, and Journalist Director of The Ferret who has a distinguished career in using the Scottish Freedom of Information Act as well as the Environmental Information Scotland Regulations. The seminar was chaired by Carole Ewart, convener of the CFoIS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Symposium held in Kiev, Ukraine |
|
21 & 22 September 2016 |
|
|
To mark the 250th anniversary of the first freedom of information law, a two day symposium was held under the auspices of the Council of Europe at the President Hotel, Kiev, Ukraine. The event was called “RTI250: CELEBRATING THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY AND FURTHER STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SYSTEMS OF THE EaP COUNTRIES” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Event marking the Georgian Translation of Thoughts on Civil Liberties -Tblisi, Georgia |
|
5 July 2016 |
|
|
On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Swedish Freedom of the Press Act, some 25 people with an interest in issues of freedom of speech and freedom of the press were invited to the Swedish Ambassador's residence for a lunch reception - Georgian journalists and editors, representatives of civil society and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Attendees spoke about the importance of these issues and introduced Forsskål and his work. A printed version of the pamphlet in Georgian and English was distributed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click here for the Georgian translation. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forsskål celebrated in Belgrade at Sweden's National Day event with Serbian PM |
|
6 June 2016 |
|
|
The event was dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the first act on freedom of information. In this context Peter Forsskål was mentioned by Deputy Head of Mission Liselott Agerlid in her appearance on two TV shows, and also in the Ambassador’s speech on the conference "Open Sweden" whilst having the Serbian Prime minister sitting beside him, and also in his speech to the guests at the reception. |
|
|
The pamphlet, Tankar om Borgerliga Friheten, in its Serbian translation, was printed in 500 copies thanks to sponsoring Swedish companies, and distributed at the conference to the audience in blue textile bags with a quote on them by Peter Forsskål (see photos below). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forsskål’s Mandate: 250 years of Freedom of Information |
|
2 May 2016 |
|
The UNESCO Chair in Freedom of Expression, Media Development and Global Policy, University of Gothenburg and the National Archives of Finland co-sponsored a seminar "Forsskål’s Mandate: 250 years of Freedom of Information" on 2 May 2016. It was held at the National Archives of Finland building in Helsinki. |
|
|
|
Please note that Ere Nokkala's affiliation is currently: Fellow of Lichtenberg Kolleg - The Göttingen Institute of Advanced Study, University of Gottingen |
|
|
The seminar was a Side event, part of UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day(s). David Goldberg wrote an entry for the blog, WPFD Insights, see http://en.unesco.org/world-press-freedom-day-2016/insights |
|
|
Pannelist Stefan Eklund, Editor-in-Chief of Borås Tidning, published this article, http://www.bt.se/boras/den-hotade-friheten-att-skriva-och-tala/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Project Forsskål invited to present at seminar in Budapest on background to the 1766 Ordinance on Freedom of Writing and the Press |
|
13 April 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The programme can be accessed here |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Gedenktafel for Peter Forsskal |
|
06 November 2015 |
|
|
The Gedenktafel for Peter Forsskal was unveiled in Goettingen on Friday 6th November 2015 at Gebaude Obere Maschstrasse 5 where Forsskal resided when he was a student at the Georg-Augusta University. |
|
|
The unveiling party included: Dr. Dagmar Schlapeit-Beck, city councilor (Stadträtin) and department head for culture and social affairs (Dezernentin für Kultur und Soziales); Dr David Goldberg (Project Forsskal); and Professor Kurt Schoenhammer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The unveiling was part of a symposium: "Felix Arabia" – Carsten Niebuhr, Peter Forsskål and the Expedition to Arabia, 1761-1767 Lichtenberg-Kolleg, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Initiated by /initiiert von Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schlumbohm, Göttingen Friday, 6th and Saturday, 7th November 2015 |
|
The programme can be accessed here. |
|
|
The Laudatio was delivered by Professor Kurt Schoenhammer, Vice-President of the Goettingen Academy of Sciences |
|
The Laudatio can be accessed here (PDF file) |
|
An English translation of the Laudatio can be accessed here (PDF file) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Fourteenth Congress of the International Society for Eighteenth Century Studies, Rotterdam, July 27 - 31st 2015 |
|
Thursday 30th July: Sweden’s Ordinance Relating to Freedom of Writing and of the Press, 1766 – 2016: History, Context and Significance* |
|
|
Organizer / Chair: David Goldberg |
|
|
Laursen, John Christian: *"Northern Ideas About Freedom of the Press: Was Spinoza or Hume more important?" * |
|
|
|
Peter Forsskal’s manuscript and pamphlet on freedom of the press of 1759,
Johann Friedrich Struensee’s writings on freedom of expression in 1763-4,
the translation of David Hume’s essay on freedom of the press into Danish
in 1771 and the rest of the free-press debate in Copenhagen, and Heinrich
Friedrich Diez’s essays of 1781 set the intellectual context for the two
great Scandinavian declarations of freedom of the press in Sweden in 1766
and in Denmark in 1770. Jonathan Israel’s recent work has invited us to
think that the most important philosophical influence was Benedict de
Spinoza, but there was also a significant influence from moderates like
Hume and Hutcheson. This essay will attempt to bring out some of these
influences, and attempt to arrive at a balanced view of the intellectual
context of these early declarations of freedom of the press.
Nordin, Jonas: *Universal Structure and Local Chance: origins of the
freedom of expression in eighteenth-century Sweden*
Sweden’s Freedom of Print Act of 1766 is supposedly the first ordinance
anywhere in the World establishing freedom of expression in positive law.
How and why did this document come into being, and from where did it draw
intellectual inspiration? Although the law as such might have been unique
at the time, its ideas were not. The ordinance originated from contemporary
philosophical
conceptions and a fortunate combination of structure and chance provided by
the Swedish parliamentary system. It reflected general European currents,
at the same time as it was firmly rooted in domestic politics. This paper
will try to explain the intellectual background as well as institutional
prerequisites for the increasing radicalization of politics towards the end
of the Swedish so called Age of Liberty (1718–1772).
Rydholm, Lena: *"The image of China in 18th Century Sweden and the Swedish
Freedom of the Press Act of 1766"*
The world’s first freedom of information act: His Majesty’s Gracious
Ordinance Relating to Freedom of Writing and of the Press was passed in the
Swedish Diet in 1766. It is hard to imagine today that this had anything to
do with China, but Swedish politicians, such as Anders Nordencrantz and
Anders Chydenius, drew some of their arguments from Jean Baptiste Du
Halde’s Description géographique, historique, chronologique, politique, et
physique de l’empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie chinoise, claiming that
the freedom of writing and of information existed in China since ancient
times, and was the very reason for China’s prosperity and political
stability (as has been discussed in publications by Marie-Christine
Skuncke). In this paper I compare the political pamphlets written by
Nordencrantz: Thoughts about the Freedom to use Reason, Pens and Printing,
and how far this Freedom should be extended in a free Society, along with
its Consequences and Chydenius: An Account of the Chinese Freedom of
Writing: Translated from Danish, with Du Halde’s work and with Danish
politician Friderich Lütken’s "Some Chinese rules of State and economic
maxims or customs: extracts from Father Du Halde", from which these Swedish
politicians drew their inspiration with regard to the image of China and of
the freedom of writing in China
Skuncke, Marie-Christine: *"The Parliamentary Struggle for Freedom of
Information in Eighteenth-Century Sweden"*
A ground-breaking aspect of the 1766 Freedom of the Press Act was that it
introduced the principle of open access in Swedish public life: most
documents from the Diet, the government, the civil service and the law
courts became accessible to citizens who wanted to publish them in print.
The principle of open access – in Swedish offentlighetsprincipen – has
remained central in Swedish legislation until our time. The paper will
explore – in dialogue with Jonas Nordin’s and Lena Rydholm’s contributions
– the parliamentary struggles within the Swedish Diet (the Riksdag) which
led to the adoption of this principle in 1766, as Swedish radicals in the
three commoner estates, Clergy, Burghers and Peasantry, skilfully used
existing institutional structures in order to achieve their aims.
Friday 31st July
*Panel: Enlightenment Thought and Its Heritage*
*Goldberg, David: Peter 'Peter Forsskal: author of one of the least known
jewels of Enlightenment literature’ *
Peter Forsskal wrote Thoughts on Civil Liberty/Tankar om Borgerliga
Friheten is one of the least known jewels of Enlightenment literature. A
censored version was printed on 23rd November 1759 in Stockholm and banned
on the day of publication. It is a clarion call for limited government and
(almost) unlimited freedom speech, as well as many other principles – long
before the American or French declarations of rights. Its author died, age
31, whilst engaged on ground-breaking natural science work in Arabia as
part of an expedition commissioned by the King of Denmark. He may yet come
to be even better known for his work of pure philosophy, Dubia De
Principiis Philosophiae Recentioris, for which he was appointed a
Corresponding Member of the Goettingen Academy of Sciences in 1756. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finnish Ambassador's residence, Belgrade and Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade |
|
22/23 April 2015 |
|
|
Events held on 22nd April 2015 at the residence of the Finnish Ambassador to Serbia and on 23rd April at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade to launch the Serbian translation of Tankar om Borgerliga Friheten/Thoughts on Civil Liberty. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For photos of the events please click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2014 Forsskål Symposium, Uppsala University |
|
21st November 2014 |
|
|
For a Swedish language programme for this event click here. |
For an English languageprogramme for this event click here. |
|
|
For a video of this event click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh University, |
|
26th February 2014 |
|
|
David Goldberg gave a presentation about Forsskål at a Scandinavian Studies Research Seminar at the University of Edinburgh. |
|
|
The poster for the meeting can be found here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Academy of Sciences, Goettingen |
|
13 December 2013 |
|
|
The Academy of Sciences at Goettingen invited Project Forsskål to give a paper at its meeting on Friday 13th December 2013. The invitation was facilitated by Vice-President Professor Kurt Schoenhammer. The context is a new research project on the history of the Enlightenment. Peter Forsskal, a Corresponding Member of the Academy, has been largely unremembered and unknown to current members. |
|
|
For a copy of the Programme for this event click here. |
|
|
|
|
For David Goldberg's paper, held on the Dokumentenserver der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Gottingen click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Turku minisymposium on Forsskål |
|
09 December 2013 |
|
|
Event held on 9th Dec. 2013 in the town of Turku (Finland) under the auspices of Turku Zoological and Botanical Society to commemorate Forsskål's death as well as to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Society. This one-afternoon minisymposium was hosted by Kalle Ruokolainen, president of the Society. |
|
|
The program which crossed scientific borders was compact. Starting with Forsskål's roots, family and destiny by Marjatta Rautiala it continued with his significance in the natural sciences by Anto Leikola, after which Irene Jelin related on oriental dancing accompanied by Leif Carlsson playing the lute. After the coffee break Minna Lönnqvist gave a talk on her archaeological investigations in the Near East today to give a taste of what it is like to work as a field scientist today in the area where Forsskål did his journey. The occasion ended in a presentation by Janne Tunturi on Forsskål and the legacy of the Enlightenment concentrating in his ”Thoughts...”. The occasion was also honoured by their presence by the namesake and relative Per Forsskåhl with family. |
|
|
Additionally in connection to the symposium the daily newspaper ”Turun Sanomat” published on 9th Dec. a prominent article ” Peter Forsskål, tulisieluinen kansalaisoikeuksien esitaistelija” (Peter Forsskål, the passionate pioneer in civil rights) by Petter Portin, prof.(emer.) in genetics at the University of Turku. |
|
|
Petter Portin's article can be read here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Speaking is Silver: Right to Know Day” : Hanasaari – the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre, Helsinki |
|
02 December 2013 |
|
|
David Goldberg and Ulla Carlsson (Nordic Information Centre For Media And Communication Research, Gothenburg) spoke about Peter Forsskal at a conference, “Speaking is Silver: Right to Know Day” (the 247th anniversary of the 1766 Ordinance on Freedom of Writing and the Press), held at Hanasaari – the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre, Helsinki, 2nd December 2013. |
|
|
Their presentations* can be viewed below: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Windows Media Player required on local device. |
If you have any dificulties viewing these presentation you can go straight to the hosting website here. |
|
|
|
For the full programmme please click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2013 Forsskål Symposium, Uppsala University |
|
23 November 2013 |
|
|
The First Annual Forsskal Symposium took place at Uppsala University on 23rd November 2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Event held at the National Library of Sweden, Stockholm, 24th October 2013, to celebrate Forsskål's life and to initiate a campaign to raise awareness and knowledge about the 1766 Freedom of Writing and the Press Ordinance |
|
24 October 2013 |
|
For a copy of the background document to this event click here. |
For a copy of the Programme for this event click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italian translation of Tankar, Pensieri sulla libertà civile, by Elisa Bianco, published by Liberilibri*, launched in Rome |
|
11 October 2013 |
|
|
For a copy of the Invitation to this event click here. |
For a copy of the Programme for this event click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* https://www.liberilibri.it/index.php/prodotto/pensieri-sulla-liberta-civile/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Forsskål Oration - 2012 Creating Open Government Conference - Sydney, Australia |
|
21 August 2012 |
|
|
The Oration was delivered by David Goldberg as the keynote opening speech. |
|
|
The full text of David Goldberg's speech can be found here. |
|
|
To find out more about the 2012 Creating Open Government Conference click here, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forsskål Event - The Finnish Embassy, Tunis |
|
20 June 2012 |
|
|
For further details (in Finnish only) please click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aspen Institute Romania, Bucharest - Presentation to Young Leaders Program of Thoughts on Civil Liberty and Discussion |
|
1st November 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Presenting Peter Forsskal's 'Thoughts on Civil Liberty' - Aspen Institute Italia, Spoleto, Italy |
|
June 11th 2011 |
|
|
Seminar: “The Enlightenment and the Transatlantic Link: Common Roots and Today's Challenges” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNESCO Cairo Office Initiates Discussion on Civil Liberties in Egypt |
|
June 2011 |
|
|
On the occasion of launching an Arabic translation of Peter Forsskål's pamphlet "Thoughts on Civil Liberties" the UNESCO Cairo Office initiated a panel discussion on press freedom and freedom of expression among Egyptian journalists, lawyers, civil rights activist and civil servants. Forsskal's legacy as well as present challenges for Egypt in the field of freedom of information was debated at the Swedish Embassy in Cairo, which organized this event together with the Finnish Embassy and the UNESCO Cairo Office. |
|
|
|
Egyptian journalists, lawyers and civil society activists discussed the most pressing issues related to freedom of expression and freedom of press in the post revolutionary Egypt. Mrs. Tahany El Gibali, the famous judge and vice president of the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court reiterated the importance of the legacy of Peter Forskol as a model to tackle the upcoming challenges for freedom of expression in Egypt. |
|
|
|
The panel discussion was followed by an open session and the audience joined in discussing issues related to constitution, administrative reform and access to information, freedom of expression and religion, etc. Mr. David Goldberg, co-coordinator of the international Peter Forsskål project summarized the discussion with the quote from the essay: "Divine revelations, wise fundamental laws and the honor of private individuals cannot suffer any dangerous damage by such freedom of expression. Because truth always wins when it is allowed to be denied and defended equally."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Celebrating Peter Forsskål's life |
|
7th April 2011 |
|
Event held to celebrate Peter Forsskål's life at the the Residence of the Ambassador of Sweden in London. |
|
Hosted by the Ambassador of Sweden H.E. Ms Nicola Clase and the Ambassador of Finland H.E. Mr Pekka Huhtaniemi the discussion and subsequent reception attracted a diverse audience of lawyers, journalists, academics, researchers, botanists, librarians, zoologists and diplomats. Some guests had even travelled all the way from Finland. A fitting audience for a man like Forsskål, renowned naturalist, orientalist, botanist, philosopher and advocate of progress through increasing scientific knowledge. The evening’s discussion focused on the content of Tankar om borgerliga friheten (Thoughts on Civil Liberty), the 1759 pamphlet containing the intellectual basis for the world’s first freedom of information legislation; The Swedish Freedom of the Press Act 1766. The content of the pamphlet was made accessible for non-swedish speakers in 2009 through the first-ever English translation, Thoughts on Civil Liberty. |
|
|
|
|
Photographs from the event: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Book Launch |
|
18th November 2009 |
|
|
Forsskål's Thoughts on Civil Liberty - the first-ever translation of the pamphlet into English. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Book launch event on the 250th anniversary of the orginal publication at the Kammarrätten in Stockholm on November 18th 2009. |
|
|
To view a gallery of photographs from this event, click here. |