Arts of Democracy: ICORN Cities of Refuge gather in Bodø, the European Capital of Culture
Bodø joined ICORN in 2022 and welcomed a writer as its first ICORN resident in 2024. Between 10th and 15th September 2024, Bodø will be hosting its ‘Arts of Democracy’ week. The programme will include representatives from ICORN Cities of Refuge, former ECoC Amsterdam, Paris, Stavanger, and Stockholm, and upcoming ECoC Chemnitz (2025) and Trencin (2026).
When Bodø applied to be the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) in 2024, the ambition to join ICORN as a City of Refuge played a vital role. The ‘Arts of Democracy’ project was set in motion when ICORN Cities of Refuge which had previously been ECoCs planned a major event in Bodø in 2024, during its tenure as the ECoC.
The programme will include performances by musicians Hamid Sakhizada, Mohammed El-Susi, and Arya Aramnejad, as well as contributions by writer and activist Wesam Almadani, political cartoonist Khalid Albaih, and author Mohamedou Ould Slahi. ICORN Board Members Sabine Gimbrère, Henry Reese, and Marianne Borgen will also take part in presentations and panel discussions.
Of the event, Bodø2024 European Capital of Culture says:
‘When the storm is at its fiercest, you need a safe harbor. Bodø has been such a safe harbor for fishermen and travelers for hundreds of years. Now, Bodø will also become a safe harbor for artists and writers who are persecuted in their home countries, for storms can come in many forms—such as conflicts and war. More than 85 member cities, including 14 former European Capitals of Culture, form the cornerstones of ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network. Now, Bodø is also a part of this network of Cities of Refuge.
Together with ICORN—and cities like Paris, Stockholm, Trencin, Stavanger, Amsterdam, Chemnitz—Bodø2024 will connect art and culture with democracy.
We have called it Arts of Democracy. This is a festival that focuses on culture, debate, and safe meeting places. We want to fight against intolerance and xenophobia while at the same time promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression.
Artists who have faced persecution from all over the world will participate in the festival. Inclusion and encounters between people with different cultural backgrounds are the foundation of a living democracy. The artists and writers coming to Bodø have had to flee their home countries because of their expressions.
They bring with them unique perspectives and experiences that will enrich our cultural landscape and promote an understanding of democratic values. Every Capital of Culture must address a common European issue as part of its program. Democracy and freedom of expression are under pressure. It is not a given to grow up in a free and safe country. Arts of Democracy may not solve the world's problems, but the festival will provide us with new insights, new perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the challenges that more and more people are facing.
Join us in this important celebration of art and democracy, where together we can help strengthen freedom of expression and create a safer existence for persecuted artists from around the world.’
Find out more about Bodø2024 European Capital of Culture, access the full programme for the Arts of Democracy week, and read an interview with Hamid Sakhizada for Bodø2024.
