Where would we be without activism?

Welcome to Samora Forum and Melahuset's May Day breakfast:
Where would we be without activism?

People in white sheets blocking the entrance to the Norwegian Parliament, sit-ins at Oslo Central Station, campaigners with bloody boils in their arms in front of NRK, and protesters preventing Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre from entering the Labor Party's national meeting.

Over the past six months, Palestine activists have carried out several peaceful actions and demonstrations to draw attention to what is happening in Gaza, mobilizing for broader support and working daily to hold politicians and businesses accountable.

Activism is an important part of the democratic process and a counterweight to the concentration of power and injustice in society. Activists are the voices that are seen and heard, they are very often dismissed, but at the same time they are very rarely ignored. What role do activists play and what forms of activism exist? What is it like to be an activist today? And what results does activism actually produce?

On May 1, there will be a conversation with Line Khateeb, head of the Palestine Committee, Rana Issa, artistic director of Masahat and Nosizwe Baqwa, artist and activist, about the importance and status of activism.

Would you like to join this year's May Day breakfast at Melahuset?

Please register via email huset@mela.no by Sunday, April 28.

Program for the day:

• 10:00 am: We open the doors and serve breakfast
• 10:30 am: Conversation with Line Khateeb, Rana Issa and Nosizwe Baqwa
• 11:30 am: Event end

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the first issue of the journal Immigranten, the first journal in the Nordic region to write about different aspects of migration, the situation of minorities, racism and cultural diversity. The journal was published by the Immigranten collective, which in turn was a group of activists who wanted to challenge the growing hostility and racism in society. Immigranten still exists, but is today known as Samora Forum. Melahuset is an arena that works to increase knowledge and awareness of art and cultural expressions that have come to Norway through migration and has become a haven for various Oslo-based artists and activists. Since the war broke out in Gaza, Melahuset has also been an arena for various lectures, panel discussions and workshops.