04. Apr 2013

A Nordic Perspective on Free Speech and Cultural Shelter Cities

ICORN has been invited to participate in an expert meeting in Stockholm together with the Arts Councils in the Nordic countries and other independent organisations working in the field of promoting free speech for culture workers. The aim is to consolidate a long-term collaboration on free speech issues between the Nordic Arts Councils and the Nordic Institutes in Greenland, Faroe Islands and Åland.

The meeting in Stockholm will take place on April 18 and will prepare for a Nordic Expert Meeting in Malmö November 11–12 2013, where a number of organisations, groups, dissidents, cities and institutions will meet and discuss matters of free speech and shelter programmes for dissident artists.

Among the issues to be discussed at the meeting are:

What traditions do we have regarding free speech issues in cultural organizations in the Nordic countries, both on state/city levels and through independent organizations?
What are the experiences and lessons learnt by organisations with long experience in this field, such as FreeDimensional, PEN, Freemuse, Scholars at Risk, Reporters Without Borders and ICORN?
Are there specific concerns to consider in different parts of Scandinavia when working with free speech issues, in regards to, for example, geography and neighbouring countries?
What are the future plans for shelter initiatives for persecuted artists, musicians etc.?