"Although we have been far from able to offer protection to everyone who needs it, ICORN has, so far, welcomed 21 writers, artists, and journalists as ICORN residents in 2023."
This statement was originally published on icorn.org on 19 December 2023.
As another year comes to an end, we thank everyone in the ICORN network at large for their commitment and contributions to achieving our common goal: improved conditions for freedom of expression worldwide.
In 2023, writers, artists, and journalists in the ICORN network, Cities of Refuge and their coordinators, and partners and sister organisations have all continued their vital work in the context of global turmoil. Whether in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel, Iran, Ethiopia, Iran, Yemen, or Ukraine, 2023 has by no means been a year of world peace.
Some of the writers, artists, and journalists who arrived in ICORN residencies in 2023. Photo credits: Farhad Babei, Photo: Bianka Ézsölová; Omer Abib, Photo: Sofia Hegevall; Aaiún Nin, Photo: Willa Decjusza; Hayat Al-Sharif, Photo: Redhwan Al-Sharif; Raafat Hekmat, Photo: Matila Rahm.
This year has also marked increasing instability in the conditions for freedom of expression, human rights, and democracy. RSF’s 2023 World Press Freedom Index reports ‘enormous volatility’ and ‘growing animosity towards journalists’ as a result of the ‘growth in the fake content industry, which produces and distributes disinformation’. Research at the University of Gothenburg has also found that authoritarianism is on the rise globally, with ‘72% of the world’s population living under authoritarian rule’, yet it also argues that there is hope.
Despite the challenges of growing polarisation, hostility, and the ever-tightening legal migration routes, the ICORN network has not lost hope. Writers, artists, and journalists continue their professional activities, ICORN Cities of Refuge and the Secretariat persist in offering protective residencies, and partners and sister organisations remain supportive.
Although we have been far from able to offer protection to everyone who needs it, ICORN has, so far, welcomed 21 writers, artists, and journalists as ICORN residents in 2023. Amongst the new arrivals are Wahab Michael Sbhatu, Hayat Al-Sharif, Azhar Al-Rubaie, Sara Khayat, Aaiún Nin, Omer Abib, Saiful Baten Tito, Meryem Sultan, Clay Pham, Raafat Hekmat, and Farhad Babaei.
What makes ICORN’s protection work possible are the 85 Cities of Refuge, which host, support, and promote the writers, artists, and journalists in the ICORN network. In 2023, we welcomed two new member cities – Leuven and Warsaw, which joined ICORN in March and in July, respectively, and are waiting to host their first ICORN residents.
This year did not go by without a few celebrations for the ICORN Cities of Refuge. Bratislava welcomed writer, editor, and graphic designer Farhad Babaei as its first ICORN resident, and Bergen and Jönköping County celebrated their 15th and 10th anniversaries ICORN members.
2023 also brought some changes to ICORN’s organisational structure as we said goodbye to the Chair of the Board Chris Gribble and welcomed Annika Strömberg as the Acting Chair of Board until the elections at the 2024 ICORN General Assembly. The Secretariat, in turn, welcomed new colleagues Protection Coordinator Cathy Odhiambo, Interim National Coordinator for Sweden Nadja Ali, and Migration Advisor Camilla Andersson.
365 days of literature, art, music, and women’s rights
2023 was a year of literary debuts, artistic achievements, and a strong focus on women’s rights. Journalists Mahdieh Golroo and Aslı Ceren Aslan published their first books, Forbidden Letters and We Are Each Other’s Remedy, respectively. Both books reflect on the experiences of women, amongst other issues, and were both published in their original languages, Persian and Turkish, and translated into Swedish.
An artistic highlight of the year was the staging of Kaveh Ayreek’s play ‘The Empty Suitcase’ at Théâtre de la Ville in Paris where it was warmly received. Olga Bubich held three exhibitions across Europe and political cartoonist Pedro X. Molina was awarded the 2023 Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent from the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).
Musicians in the ICORN network did not have a quiet year either. From Confess making waves across on their European tour, Nikan Khorsravi taking centre stage in the ‘Metal Theatre: Aftermath’, Ramy Essam releasing his new album ‘Metgharabiin’, to Arya Aramnejad leading on various music projects.
Strong women in the ICORN network continued inspiring the world throughout 2023, whether through attendance at important gatherings, such as the World Expression Forum, or through their tireless work for equality, representation, and empowerment. The focus on women’s rights in 2023 culminated in the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi, the human and women’s rights activist from Iran.
Across borders: Journalism’s role in securing human rights and democarcy
This year, we marked World Press Freedom Day 2023 under the slogan ‘Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights’, a sentiment central to ICORN’s work. Speaking to journalists in the network on this topic, investigative journalist Safaa Khalaf reflected:
‘Freedom of press is a peaceful and civilised weapon to confront oppression, misinformation, and lack of transparency. It is imperative that individuals have access to a robust and impartial tool that empowers them to make informed decisions and prevents the emergence of oppressive regimes that curtail essential liberties.’
In 2023, journalists who are part of the ICORN network have continued to speak truth to power. From their base in Norway, Eritrean journaists Wahab Michael Sbhatu, Omer Abib, and Dessale Berekhet continue broadcasting on Radio Saeyob, part of ERISAT TV, informing and empowering old and new audiences.
In April 2023, journalist and filmmaker Ali Al Ibrahim was awarded the June L.Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism for his article ‘With Bab AlHawa Border Closed, Syrians Are Deprived of Cancer Treatment’.
Acknowledging the needs of artists and human rights defenders at risk
With artistic rights and free expression high on the agenda of the Spring 2023 Swedish Presidency, the Council of the European Union approved and signed 23 conclusions regarding the vital work of ‘at-risk and displaced artists’ in fostering peace, pluralism, freedom, and cultural diversity.
In turn, the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) released a report acknowledging the difficulties human rights defenders face in seeking and finding safety in the EU. The report identifies the main challenges, including access to information, obtaining visas, and patchy protection mechanisms, and offers practical tools to tackle them.
The 9th International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA)Summit also took place in Stockholm between 3rd and 5th of May, 2023. IFFACA provided an exchange and reflection platform for government, cultural and non-cultural NGOs, and other civil society actors from the international community.
Memories from the 2023 ICORN Network Meeting in Brussels and the Passa Porta Festival
Moments from the 2023 ICORN Network Meeting in Brussels. Photos: Caroline Lessire.
In March 2023, more than 300 writers, artists, journalists, city representatives, and sister organisations from 40 countries convened in Brussels for the 2023 ICORN Network Meeting and the Passa Porta Festival.
There, the ICORN network met, discussed, performed, shared, learned from each other, and forged new friendships and partnerships in our common work to protect and promote freedom of expression. Strong and important messages echoed across Brussels, and literature, music, art, and journalism were celebrated as sources of resistance and resilience.
You can watch a video from the 2023 ICORN Network Meeting here.
We thank all ICORN residents, Cities of Refuge, coordinators, partners, and supporters for making ICORN’s work possible in 2023. We wish everyone a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!
