Alta joins ICORN
On Thursday, 12 June 2025, Alta joined ICORN, becoming the 89th City of Refuge worldwide, the 26th in Norway, and the first in the county of Finnmark.
The ICORN Membership Agreement was signed by Alta’s Mayor, Monica Nielsen, and ICORN Programme Director Elisabeth Dyvik, following the municipality’s decision 2023 to join the network.
Ahead of the official signing ceremony, all employees in Alta Municipality’s cultural department participated in an information and reflection session on ICORN and Alta’s upcoming responsibilities as a City of Refuge. The programme featured presentations by Elisabeth Dyvik and Halvard Bakklund, Cultural Director of Harstad Municipality. Bakklund shared Harstad’s experiences as an ICORN City of Refuge with focus on hosting musicians at risk. Dyvik provided an overview of ICORN’s mission and work as an organisation and a network. The session also included group discussions on Alta’s forthcoming ICORN programme.
By joining ICORN, Alta reaffirms its commitment to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and democratic values. The city has started preparations to welcome a writer, artist, or journalist at risk as its first ICORN resident.
