An ICORN breakthrough in Finland?

The symposium is a forum to address the growing importance of the Safe Haven residencies for art professionals at high risk amidst the increasing number of serious conflicts and crises afflicting the world. There are more than 50 ICORN cities worldwide, many in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Will Helsinki be the first ICORN city in Finland?

Over the past two years, short-term residencies providing a “breath of fresh air” for visual art professionals and musicians at risk have been organised in Helsinki with great success through a partnership between Perpetuum Mobile and HIAP. In November, the Helsinki City Council will vote to decide on establishing a long-term 2-years Safe Haven residence for art professionals.

One of the keynote speakers in the event is Ashraf Atraqchi, an art critic and journalist, who has written about the deliberate destruction and theft of cultural heritage by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq until his life was threatened and he fled in the wake of a failed murder attempt. Currently Ashraf has a Safe Haven –residency in Stockholm. The second keynote speaker was the first short-term resident in Helsinki, Ramy Essam from Cairo. “The voice of Tahrir Square”, will speak about the meaning of the “breather” after being tortured and forbidden to play music for two years. The discussion will be joined by the director of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) Helge Lunde, journalist Iida Simes from PEN, Helsinki city council member and activist (SDP) Thomas Wallgren and Co-director of Perpetuum Mobile Marita Muukkonen.

The Safe Haven Helsinki? Symposium is organised by Perpetuum Mobile and ICORN, in cooperation with HIAP, the Nordic Fresh Air -programme and Ateneum Art Museum and Finish PEN.

Time and Place:

Tuesday, 3 November, 4:00–5:30 pm
The musician Ramy Essam will perform at the end of the event
Ateneum Hall: Kaivokatu 2, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
ateneum.fi/fi/ateneum-sali

Read more about the Symposium