Forum for Technology and Development Cooperation (FTU)
FTU – Forum for Technology and Development Cooperation – works for sharing knowledge on all UN Sustainability Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
We are a media with purpose and main objective to present technical solutions, research and increase innovation for achieving global sustainability. We also aim to inspire engineers and students to travel abroad for working in Developing Countries with Technology. At the UN World Water Day 2026, 65 % of the audience were students from College or University.
FTU were founded in 1978 by NORAD, The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. We own professional streaming and podcast equipment which we have used for streaming the UN World Water Day 2026 and our last Ukraine supporting seminar on democratic Urban Planning Processes:
Recent video recordings with our own equipment:
https://ftu.no/opptak-av-fns-vanndag/
https://ftu.no/opptak-fra-ukraina-arrangementet/
We have been visited by Norway’s special representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs several times. Norway’s Special Envoy on Climate and Security, Hans Olav Ibrekk, and Norway’s Special Representant for Ukraine, Christian Syse, were central speakers at the seminars above.
Also the State Secretary from the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality, Erlend Hanstveit, was present to open the UN World Water Day (as seen in the first video above). We are very greatful for the support from Norwegian Authorities.
We have a newly established our YouTube channel here where we Live Stream globally and keep our recordings:
https://youtube.com/@ftu-norway?si=i7iCKDleRV5cqSsa
FTU is a Norwegian Association of volunteering journalists and editors, and a non-profit NGO. All our volunteering journalists work for free without salary. Our activity and operations are ruled by Norwegian law and other regulations and guide lines for best practice for associations.
All decisions in the FTU board or in the FTU Yearly Assembly follow good standard practices for Norwegian associations.
The logos of FTU’s institutional members are displayed to the right on our frontpage.
Video overview page
FTU awarded international grant for investigative journalism
FTU’s editorial team has been awarded an investigative journalism grant from Nordplus Horizontal, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ programme for Nordic-Baltic educational cooperation. Our team will work with 20 journalists from the Baltic states and 9 journalists from Norway to develop open-access AI tools for complex, international investigative journalism. The project’s investigative themes are disinformation, corruption, organised crime, environmental issues,…
NRK boosts tech and foreign news coverage
NRK is increasing its number of foreign correspondents in 2027. NRK is also creating an entirely new kind of position: a correspondent responsible for technology, to be based in the United States.
“Rapid technological development shapes power politics and people’s everyday lives in a completely different way than before,” foreign editor Sigurd Falkenberg Mikkelsen tells NRK.
He believes that understanding…
October 5: Floods and Climate Adaptation in Africa
Our next seminar takes place as soon as the first Monday after the autumn break. We will explore how to protect against the floods that come with climate change in Africa.The seminar starts at 17:00 and will be held at Arkitektenes Hus. It is a collaboration with Habitat Norway, GRID-Arendal, Slum Dwellers International and the Oslo Region.You can find the…
What is truth?
This is an editorial from the FTU editorial board.
Hans Rustad, editor of Document.no, is under fire. The Norwegian Editors’ Association is set to review his membership following complaints.
In yesterday's debate on NRK, Rustad argued that "there are two truths" since the MAGA movement came to power. He is presumably referring to the famous remark about "alternative facts" by…
Danish troll art for sustainability
A few large countries with Saudi Arabia in front, are stalling the global plastics treaty. The plan was for UN member states to agree on a treaty in 2024, but negotiations are still ongoing. Meanwhile, sculptor Thomas Dambo is taking on the global plastic waste crisis through his art. He has created the exhibition "The Garbage Man" at ARKEN, Museum…
Recording from the Disinformation and Influence Operation Seminar
The recording from the disinformation seminar is now available. We thank Fredrikstad Litteraturhus and Stiftelsen Fritt Ord for the opportunity to make this happen.
300 people attended in person, and 187 people watched the livestream.
Prince William: Technology can mitigate climate change
Prince William of Great Britain believes that the world needs rapid and drastic action against climate change, according to the Independent. He also believes that technology can repair the world from the effects of climate change.
“This is not a blind hope,” says Prince William. It is not too late to handle environmental crises such as climate change.
Enova provides…
Global AI risk
Last night, an AI employee, Jacob Coxon, resigned in protest against Anthropic and OpenAI. He argues that both companies are “gambling with our lives” because “They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence”, according to his post on X. He quickly received backing from other researchers on X, among them Evan Hubinger, a senior researcher at Anthropic.
FTU was early to…
The EU adopted new sanctions and opened the way for LNG transport from Siberia
The EU adopted its 21st sanctions package against Russia in an extraordinary meeting of the ambassadors on 23/7. In that package, they also opened the way for the Greek company Dynagas to continue transporting Russian LNG (liquefied natural gas) from Siberia. In fact, the EU had already sanctioned the transport of LNG to countries outside the EU in its 19th…
Greece blocks new EU sanctions against Russia.
Last week, Greece prevented the EU from adopting new sanctions against Russia. The Greek company Dynagas transports Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) using specialized Arc7-class vessels from Siberia and the Yamal gas fields. Greece blocked the sanctions out of consideration for Dynagas, which would lose its largest customer if the transport of LNG from Russia were sanctioned.
“We believe that…
International Seminar on Disinformation, 7/9, in Fredrikstad.
On Monday, 7th of September, at 19:00, our next major seminar will take place in Fredrikstad. The program for the disinformation seminar is now complete:
Speakers will include researcher Carl Heath from Sweden (RISE and the University of Gothenburg). He developed the educational materials on influence and disinformation for the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency.
The following speakers from Norway will…
Journalism Education
We at the FTU editorial team have taken several courses at the Institute of Journalism this spring.
We will apply what we have learned in podcasting, investigative journalism, and video storytelling to our publications. We are launching a podcast and an online newspaper very soon, and video content may follow later.
Follow our website and give us feedback on our…
FTU Online Newspaper
We are launching an FTU online newspaper in both Norwegian and English. The first articles will focus on corruption, human rights, AI technology, and climate change.
We are currently exploring suitable online platforms to publish significantly more written content than we have done previously..
FTU Podcast
FTU is launching a podcast series. Work began last week. We will cover important international topics that are relevant to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The topics will be central and global issues, including climate change, corruption, education, health, polarization, and more.
Follow our website for the launch in August.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launches National Project on Technology and Development Assistance
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is launching a national project on technology and development assistance. This is very encouraging for FTU. It means that Norway’s government and ministry support FTU’s purpose and are elevating it to the level of national policy. Watch the recording of the dialogue meeting between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norad, SINTEF, and the technology communities…
Disinformation and Influence—How Can Technology Help Find Solutions?
We are grateful to present our new collaboration with the House of Literature in Fredrikstad. FTU and the House of Literature have identified several leading experts from Norway, Ukraine, France, Finland, and Sweden, and the House of Literature is co-organizing the event.
On Monday, September 7, at 19:00, our next major Ukraine seminar will take place in Fredrikstad.
Speakers will…
Video recording from UN’s Water day
We organized an excellent UN World Water Day event on March 19 together with the Norwegian Hydrological Council and the Norwegian Water Association. This year’s theme was Gender Equality and Water. The livestream recording has so far been viewed online by 200 people. We had a full house at Asplan Viak, with 35 guests.
Many thanks to State Secretary Erlend…
