ICORN international cities of refuge network

Creative Resistance - An Intersecting Networks Approach

From July 10-15 ICORN participated at a gathering of leaders from the human rigts sector, art spaces, and artists' and culture workers' mobility networks from around the world meeting in Canada . 'This was a unique opportunity to get to know and work with other networks who's work is related to what we do.' says ICORN's Programme Director Elisabeth Dyvik. The meeting was hosted by freeDimensional .

Committee to Protect Journalists releases Survey on Journalists in Exile

At least 85 journalists fled their homes in the past year because of attacks, threats and possible imprisonment, with especially high exile rates in Iran, Somalia and Ethiopia, says the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in its annual survey. Since 2001, more than 500 journalists have fled their homes, and 454 remain in exile today. But life in exile is precarious and only the beginning of a new set of struggles.

ICORN Guest Writer Philo Ikonya published in Germany

Judging by the catalogs from travel agents, Kenya is a safe destination that offers great holiday adventures. Philo Ikonya's latest collection of poetry, Aus dem Gefängnis - Liebesgesänge (Out of prison - Lovesongs) points out that this image is not the whole truth.

ICORN consolidates and looks forward at successful Frankfurt assembly

More than 90 delegates, writers, observers and other guests from 30 countries convened 1-3 June for ICORN's first general assembly as an independent, international membership organisation.

Three days of fruitful encounters, intense discussions and conscious deliberations brought the new organisation many important steps further, says ICORN's executive director Helge Lunde.

The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition open for submissions

The art and culture magazine Aesthetica is inviting all artists, writers and poets to submit their work for the Aesthetica Creative Works Competition 2010. Now in its third year, the Creative Works Competition is dedicated to celebrating and championing creative talent across three desciplines: "Artwork and Photography", "Poetry" and "Fiction". Three winners, one from each category, will receive GBP 500 prize money and the winner and finalists will will be published in the Creative Works Annual. Other prizes will also be available. The closing date on this competition is August 31.

The Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition open for entries

Mslexia, a magazine dedicated to the literary work of women, are calling for submissions to their poetry competition . Any female writer can submit their work, and poems may be in any style, of any length, on any subject. The deadline for submissions is 26 July 2010.

My Dictator and I

ICORN writers Chenjerai Hove (Zimbabwe), Philo Ikonya (Kenya) and Sihem Bensedrine (Tunisia) discuss literature, censorship and freedom of expression at the Gothenburg Book Fair in September.

Chenjerai Hove has lived with and related to "his" dictator since Robert Mugabe came to power in Zimbabwe in 1980. Hove was forced to flee his homeland in 2001, and is now writing an autobiographical account of his complex relationship to Mugabe from his exile in Miami. Distinguished writers Philo Ikonya and Sihem Bensedrine have also recently had to leave their native countries, currently residing in ICORN safe havens in Oslo and Barcelona. What makes writers targets of censorship and persecution in today's Africa, and how can writers counter oppressive regimes, from inside or from positions of exile? The panel is joined by prolific South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro ("Zapiro"), who has recently been sued by president Jacob Zuma on charges of defamation, on grounds of a drawing made by Zapiro in 2008.

The European Parliament Debates Report on Human Rights Defenders Today

The report as presented by Heidi Hautala to the ICORN General Assembly in Frankfurt is being debated today in the European Parliament.

With ICORN among its consultative bodies, the report makes several substantive and operational recommendations. The proposed programme of shelter cities would enable people to live and work in safety from persecution in Europe. The other proposal, prompt delivery of visas and urgency visas for human rights defenders at risk and in emergency situations would effectively enable the EU to remove these people from the risk situations. Another key recommendation of the report is to create human rights focal points into the European Parliament, the European External Action Service and the EU Delegations abroad.

Denmark's first ICORN Guest Writer arrives in Århus

Today, the first Guest Writer in Denmark, Zimbabwean Tendai Frank Tagarira, arrived in Århus. After publishing his book "Trying to make sense of it" in 2006, he had to flee Zimbabwe. He has since lived in Namibia, where he has published six books. No Zimbabwean publisher has been able to publish his work.

"I am incredibly happy and relieved that I've been invited to Århus," says Tagarira. "I look forward to getting out of the shadows of threats and enjoy the light of freedom of expression instead".

Tagarira will stay in Århus for two years. "Today we are telling the world that Århus takes freedom of expression and democracy seriously. I am proud of the fact that we can offer a safe haven to one of the many persecuted writers around the world," says Marc Perera Christensen, representing the municipality of Århus.

Two new books from ICORN Guest Writer Manal Al-Sheikh

Iraqi poet Manal Al Sheikh, who is currently the ICORN Guest Writer of Stavanger City of Refuge, has published two poetry collections this year. The poems were written partly before she had to leave Iraq, and partly after settling down in Stavanger.