Mr. Bondevik co-authored and co-published the book “Prisoners in our own country”, a joint effort by Norwegian Church Aid, The Norwegian Burma Committee and PD Burma.

Former President of the Czech Republic, Mr. Václav Havel; and Professor, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Mr. Elie Wiesel have joined Mr. Bondevik in commissioning  and endorsing a thorough study on the present humanitarian situation in North Korea. The intent of the report is to apply to the situation in North Korea the new doctrine of international law, namely the responsibility of all states to protect their own citizens from the most egregious of human rights abuses. The report also contends that North Korea qualifies as a “non-traditional threat to the peace”.

As a former Prime Minister, Mr. Bondevik is a member of the Club de Madrid, an independent organisation dedicated to democracy around the world, consisting of 67 former Heads of State and Government. The Oslo Center will actively work with the Club de Madrid to implement a major initiative on intercultural dialogue, focussing on democratic practice. 

In many parts of the world, like in the Middle East, in the Balkans and in Africa, different cultures and religions have been, and still are, sources or “root causes” of conflicts. It ought to be possible to reverse this tendency, and focus on two complementary ways to be able to live in peace with one another. 

Four millions babies die every year before they are four weeks old; mostly in developing countries.  The World Health Organiation (WHO) estimates that approximately two thirds of these babies could have been saved by relatively simple means. 

 All the familiar problems afflicting the Horn of Africa – droughts followed by floods, exacerbated by conflict, poverty, under-development and food insecurity- are currently having a major negative impact on the population. Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia have all suffered drought for four of the last six years. 

This program is focussing on the Right to health as one of the universal human rights. It is established in cooperation between the Vesper Society, working closely with the Carter Center in Atlanta, and Dr. Tor Haugstad representing the Oslo Center. The project has a two fold aim. One leg of the program is the mapping of religious health assets that can be mobilized in the battle against HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.