Bjørneboe — a Norwegian writer and teacher who lived from 1920 to1976 — took up many important themes in hiswriting. An entire generation of young people at that time valued him enormously for writing critically about the education system, the penal system and the authoritarian system of the establishment.

As Waldorf teachers we are very grateful for what he has written about the Waldorf School, and his book Jonas has probably made a greater single contribution to the Waldorf movement than anything else in Norway.

Among some of his most important books is the trilogy on the history of bestiality where he shows us how evil goes through history in its many different shapes.

In the course of this conference we will present the writer and the teacher Jens Bjørneboe. But above all we will look at some of the themes he raised in his books, especially the theme of evil in all its different forms: as it expresses itself for example in conflict situations, in preventing people from expressing their thoughts, in war and discrimination etc.

We are convinced that working with these questions is important for modern society, and that taking them up will make us more prepared to meet the young people in our schools.

We have found several of Norway's most significant people to present some of these questions. In addition to exploring these themes, we will also take the time to enjoy ourselves by the sea, listening to music and poetry and visiting the last place Bjørneboe lived.

Please join us as we invite you not only to explore with us the darkness of evil but also to sharewith us its counterpart — the incomparable beauty of the Nordic midsummer light and sea.

Some of the participants:

Tone Bjørneboe, writer, art therapist and former wife of Jens Bjørneboe

Christopher Clouder (UK), Waldorf teacher and lecturer

Tore Frost, philosopher,

Lars Fr. Svendsen, philosopher (Philosophy of evil)

Nina Witoszek, professor and writer

Steinar Bryn, teacher at Nansenskolen, leader of the Dialogue project for Balkan

Kjell Olaf Jensen, leader of Norwegian PEN, writer and translator

Jørn Simen Øverli, composer, musician and singer

Fredrik Wandrup, journalist and writer

The conference is arranged under the auspicesof the European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education which comprises 19 national Waldorf Associations, representing 570 schools in Europe.

The members of the working group are:Meri Arni-Kauttu, Finland; Christopher Clouder,UK; Örjan Retsler, Sweden; Ellen Fjeld Köttker, Norway; Dag Horntvedt, Norway; and Astrid Bjønness, Norway.

A detailed program will be sent soon.

For further information, please contact

Astrid Bjønness

Halvdan Vilhelmsens allé 1a

N-3110 Tønsberg

Phone: +47 33 31 71 39

Fax: +47 33 32 37 23

email: astridbjonness@tiscali.no

This page updated May2005