Helge Fisknes (born 1944)

Translator's Note: This is a machine-assisted translation completed on July 25, 2025. While care has been taken to maintain accuracy, this translation has not yet undergone human review or validation. Please note that specialized terms, historical references, and nuanced content may benefit from expert review. 

Aksept is a centre for all individuals affected by HIV and AIDS. At its founding, the staff consisted of six people. Fisknes served as director until 1996.

It was his wife, Liv Fisknes—a street pastor with the Church City Mission—who first conceived the idea of a dedicated centre. She saw that many people living with AIDS had nowhere to go and lacked human support and care in their difficult situation. Following an application from the Church City Mission, the City of Oslo agreed to fund the operation of the “Contact Centre for People Affected by HIV and AIDS,” with a particular emphasis on reaching vulnerable groups.

In the spring of 2018, the Queer Archives (Skeivt arkiv) conducted a series of interviews with individuals who played key roles in the early response to HIV/AIDS in Norway. Helge Fisknes was one of them.

An excerpt from the interview can be viewed in the window below. In it, Fisknes speaks about the resistance encountered—both within the church and among parts of the gay community—toward the services offered by Aksept.

The full interview with Helge Fisknes is available in the reading room at the Queer Archives (Skeivt arkiv).