Vestfold is Norway’s first ICORN county for persecuted writers and artists
Vestfold County signs the Membership Agreement with ICORN on Friday 12 January at Larvik Library at 1 PM, and will be working with the cities Horten and Larvik as cities of refuge, to host the writers and artists invited.
- Being a regional developer of the area of literature, it is the county’s task to facilitate literary refuge for writers who for various reasons are in danger of imprisonment or death in their home countries. We are proud to become a county of refuge, and take a clear stand on attacks against freedom of expression and press freedom, says Director of Culture in Vestfold Central Council Administration, Arild Moen.
The decision to establish the County of Vestfold as the first ICORN county in Norway, is politically based in “The Strategic Culture and Sports Plan for Vestfold 2015-2018”.
Cooperation to strengthen freedom of expression
Vestfold County cooperates with the cities Larvik and Horten about the implementation of the programme, with the public library and NAV (public social services) taking care of the management and day to day running of the programme.
We will start the cooperation with Larvik and Horten immediately. By using each others’ strengths, we will become a good host for persecuted writers. The goal is that each of the cities will welcome one writer each before the end of the year, says Arild Moen.
Vestfold has invited all the municipalities in the county to join as cities of refuge. The county will coordinate the cities of refuge within the county, be a professional support in the field of literature, as well as support and assist the writers to get a foothold in the writers and publishers community in the region.
In addition to Vestfold, the regions Västra Götaland, Skåne, Dalarna and Toscana have joined ICORN.
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