Oslo World: Talk - We don't talk about oil

Oil is a sensitive topic of conversation in Norway. The industry has received much of the credit for transforming the country from a fishing nation to the owner of the world's largest sovereign wealth fund.

Is it possible for the Norwegian cultural sector to challenge the country's double standards while receiving public funding? This panel attempts to dig into the nuances of Norway's relationship with oil wealth and the consequences of this relationship. Are cultural institutions and artists hesitant to investigate this topic for fear of losing financial support?

In collaboration with Klimakultur SA & Attac Norway.

11.45: Doors open

12:00: Panel discussion

The panel is comprised by experienced India researchers based in the Nordic region:  

Hailing from Scotland, Calum Macintyre is not only an avid snowboarder, but also a keen climate activist. As a key member of the Stop Oil Exploration campaign, he has used civil disobedience to shake the consciousness of Norwegian society, pointing to the climate crisis and Norway's significant role as a major exporter of fossil fuels. With years of work to rally the snow sports community for climate action, Calum is an outspoken critic of the oil industry's sponsorship in Norway's ski culture.

Silje Ask Lundberg is a senior advisor at Oil Change International. She leads the work for a more equitable and well-managed decline in oil and gas production in the North Sea. With over a decade of experience in supply-side policy, she closely follows the Norwegian oil debate and politics. Her grassroots work in many different organizations has supported communities threatened by oil and gas exploration and built public opposition to Norway's oil and gas industry. Silje's term as president of the Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation from 2016 to 2021 gives her a deep insight into the field.

Born in Romania, raised in Qatar and currently based in Oslo, Khalid Albaih is a Sudanese creative, political cartoonist and cultural producer. His internationally acclaimed comics, spanning from 2011, have gone viral across the world. Albaih has been recognized as one of the top five cartoonists globally by The Independent in 2018. His work has graced renowned publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, PRI, NPR and BBC. He brings a unique artistic and political perspective to this conversation.

Moderator: Julie Forchammer is the co-founder of Klimakultur, a non-profit organization that guides the Norwegian cultural sector on climate justice and action on climate change. She holds alumni status from the Creative Climate Leadership program of Juli's Bicycle. Based in the scenic mountains of Vang in Valdres, her previous roles have included festival management at Vinjerock, environmental management at Øyafestivalen, and advisory and board membership at Rainforest Foundation Norway.