ICORN writers in Denmark meet at Hald Hovedgård

The seminar was held from 23rd to the 29th of May. ICORN writers Noufel Bouzeboudja, Tendai Tagarira and Seedy Bojang, had productive days preparing for a publication of an anthology about freedom of expression based on their own personal experiences. They collaborated with their Danish coordinators from the respective municipalities: Fanø, Frediriksberg, and Århus. The event organizer, Karsten Pharao, invited many Danish writers, representatives from the Art Counsel, the Danish PEN and a guest from the Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims.

The debates started with a controversial theme: Two years in Denmark – and then what? during which the legal situation of the guest writers and what the local communities can do (education, psychological help etc.) were exposed thoroughly. Then the writers gave testimony about their own experiences, discussed freedom of speech and the case of Muhammed drawings and its consequences internationally. The writers were given an introduction to the Danish literary system and how to get published and funded by the author Jo Hermann with whom they also discussed the system of critics, translators, media, and how to get through to the public. The writers Erik Trigger and Sally Altschuler held a discussion about the meeting between cultures, the cultural values and traditions of the guest writers and their meeting with the Danes and interpreting cultural codes in everyday life.

On the evening of the 26th of May, a gala was organized, in the presence of Hald Hovedgård board, where guest writer Tendai Tagarira, along with musician Jimi, performed his texts. And after dinner, Noufel Bouzeboudja, performed his show: Free my Wor(l)d! A performance with audiovisual projections with texts depicting national, international, philosophical and psychological issues. At the end of August an anthology will be published and presented to the public in different sites.