Gothenburg

Since 1996, Gothenburg has hosted writers, artists, journalists, and cultural workers at risk, making it Sweden’s first City of Refuge. The ICORN programme in Gothenburg is run in collaboration between the City of Gothenburg’s cultural and social administrations.

Gothenburg has hosted 11 writers, artists, and journalists in ICORN residence, including Nobel Laureate in Literature (2015) Svetlana Alexievich, Palestinian hip-hop artist Khaled Harara, and Bangladeshi writer, journalist, voice actor Saiful Baten Tito, and Bangladeshi journalist, writer and activist Pranto Palash.

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The film: "Fristad på Bokmessan" is a creative meeting space organised during the 2024 Gothenburg Bookfair in a cooperation between the City of Gothenburg, the Region of Västra Götaland, Swedish ICORN cities and writers and artists in the network. During four days, it staged several workshops, conversations and exhibitions, raising awareness of the challenges to freedom of expression worldwide, of what cities can do, and how to support the unrelenting work of writers, artists, journalists in the network who have found a safe space in a city of refuge, like Gothenburg, where they can continue their vital work.