On Thursday, June 13, NRK, the national public broadcaster, announced that the 2025 telethon will be devoted to the Atlas Alliance. TV-aksjonen (The TV Campaign/Auction) is Norway's largest national charity fundraising event. It is unique in its scale and how it mobilizes the Norwegian public in door-to-door campaigns, live auctions, and other fundraising activities. On average, the telethon raises more than 260 million NOK.
For the 2025 telethon, ten applicants competed for the opportunity to receive funds raised. The Atlas Alliance's winning application, 'Opportunities for all', outlined a comprehensive plan to address the needs of persons with disabilities in various countries. This is not the first time the Atlas Alliance will be the campaign beneficiary. The Alliance held the campaign in 1981, 1991, and 2002.
Where will we be working?
As outlined in our application, the funds raised from the telethon will be strategically utilized in the following countries: Ukraine, Palestine, Nepal, Zambia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda. We aim to implement projects that secure opportunities for all, focusing on disability-inclusive humanitarian response and long-term development.
Firstly, our disability-inclusive humanitarian response and recovery projects will take place in Ukraine, Palestine, Ethiopia, and Uganda.
Secondly, the long-term development projects will take place in Nepal, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia. These projects will be within the thematic areas of human rights advocacy, economic empowerment, inclusive education, health, and assistive technology. Through these long-term development aid projects, we aim to reach more than 200,000 persons with disabilities and their families in the project period.
At the heart of everything we do, the principle of 'nothing about us without us' remains steadfast. This principle ensures the active participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes and project implementation.
What's next?
Before October 2025, the TV Campaign secretariat, the Atlas secretariat, and the Norwegian organizations will collaborate to create an awareness campaign. This might entail visiting some of the projects you are currently working on and highlighting good stories and narratives that showcase how our projects create opportunities for people with disabilities.
In 2025, the Norwegian Atlas organizations will work with the TV Campaign secretariat to mobilize the Norwegian public to raise funds and awareness on the importance of disability-inclusive humanitarian response and long-term development aid.
Following the telethon in October 2025, the projects will commence in 2026 and last throughout the four-year project period.