FAQs ICORN Cities of Refuge

FAQs Cities of Refuge

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What is an ICORN City of Refuge?

ICORN is an international membership organisation, made up of cities and regions committed to freedom of expression and human rights. Each ICORN member is a City of Refuge which provides protection through temporary protective residencies for writers, artists, and journalists at risk. The ICORN residency typically lasts for two years.

The common mission of the ICORN Cities of Refuge is to make a practical contribution in improving the conditions for freedom of expression worldwide.

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Who can become an ICORN City of Refuge?

Any city or region willing to commit to freedom of expression and human rights can join ICORN and become a City of Refuge. It does so by signing and adhering to the ICORN Membership Agreement.

To be able to offer more residencies to the growing number of writers, artists, and journalists at risk, ICORN needs more members.  If your city wishes to join the ICORN network, please contact us on icorn@icorn.org

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Why should my city become an ICORN City of Refuge?

Thousands of writers, artists, and journalists are at risk as a direct consequence of their work. Many of them need a safe place. Through ICORN, your city can enable these writers, artists, and journalists to continue their work and uphold their right to free expression, which is a vital part of any free society.

Becoming an ICORN City of Refuge is a commitment which is both very concrete and deeply symbolic. Offering protection and sanctuary to a writer, artist, or journalist at risk provides practical support. The values of hospitality, solidarity, and human rights, in turn, become further enshrined in your city’s ethnic.

ICORN residents are a rich resource for the cities which host them and the entire ICORN network, bringing new perspectives to the cultural and social life of each city. ICORN residents contribute with professional expertise and knowledge and experience of different cultures, enriching insight into the world in your city and beyond.

By joining ICORN, your city becomes part of a dynamic global network of creativity, expertise, and solidarity. To celebrate and reflect on this, ICORN brings together its members and their ICORN residents in an annual gathering in one of the ICORN Cities of Refuge. An assembly of writers, artists, journalists, city representatives, and other human rights organisations meet to assess the situation of freedom of expression, exploring new and imaginative ways to confront oppression and authoritarianism.

Today, there are more than 80 Cities of Refuge which have together hosted over 300 writers, artists, and journalists facing persecution.

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How can my city become an ICORN City of Refuge?

A city of region becomes an ICORN City of Refuge by committing to and signing the ICORN Membership Agreement.

Prior to this, your city needs to establish financial and political backing for the programme, find a coordinating institution and accommodation for its future ICORN residents, and identify formal partners.

Financing and running an ICORN City of Refuge varies from city to city. Your city’s management model will depend on the national and local legislation, as well as partnerships, cultural offers, and funding opportunities.

ICORN will assist in finding the best solution for your city. If your city wishes to join the ICORN network, please contact us on icorn@icorn.org

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How many ICORN Cities of Refuge are there?

There are currently more than 80 ICORN Cities of Refuge across Europe and the Americas.

For an overview and more information about the ICORN Cities of Refuge, click here.

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What does an ICORN City of Refuge do?

By signing the ICORN Membership Agreement and becoming an ICORN City of Refuge, your city agrees to: ‍

- Arrange for the relocation and reception of the writer, artist, or journalist.

- Facilitate the acquisition of visa, residence permit and other necessary documents for the writer, artist, or journalist.

- Provide the writer, artist, or journalist and their family with suitable dwelling.

- Provide the writer, artist, or journalist with an appropriate scholarship/grant for the period of their ICORN residency.

- Support the writer, artist, or journalist to engage with the local community, both professionally and socially.-

Appoint an ICORN City of Refuge coordinator to assist the ICORN residents in practical and legal matters.

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How is an ICORN City of Refuge managed?

This depends on the structural, institutional, and financial configuration and capacity of the city and varies from city to city. Each ICORN City of Refuge is managed in accordance with national and local legislation, as well as partnerships, cultural offers, and funding opportunities.  ICORN assists its members with practical and promotional matters.

Generally, the city, municipality, or region is responsible for the bulk of the financing for the running and management of the ICORN programme. There is often support from partners and other sources, whether they be public, private, local national, or international.

Some examples:

- In Paris ICORN City of Refuge, the Municipality of Paris is the official ICORN member. Paris hosts its ICORN residents in partnership with Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris Biblilothèques, Reporters Sans Frontières and Maison des Journalistes, amongst others.

- In Brussels ICORN City of Refuge, it is the International House of Literature PassaPorta which manages the ICORN programme. PassaPorta works in agreement with four universities which partly sponsor the ICORN resident on the condition that they will participate in lectures and workshops at the universities.

- Barcelona ICORN City of Refuge is primarily coordinated and financed by Catalan PEN.

- In Scandinavian countries, an ICORN City of Refuge is typically run by the public library, sometimes together with social security and/or refugee services.

- Skien ICORN City of Refuge in Norway is managed by a partnership between the Municipality of Skien and the Skien Public Library.

- Levanger ICORN City of Refuge in Norway, is run by a partnership between Levanger Library, Levanger Cultural Office, and Levanger Refugee Office.

-In Växjö ICORN City of Refuge, it is the Municipality of Växjö that is the ICORN member while the programme is run by the House for Free Speech and the Cultural and Leisure Services.

You can learn more about how individual ICORN Cities of Refuge are managed by visiting their profiles.

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How much does ICORN membership cost?

The ICORN membership fee is paid annually and is determined by the ICORN General Assembly which is held every other year. Both cities and regions can be ICORN members.

Currently, the ICORN membership fee is €2300 for a city. A region pays €1750 for ICORN membership, and ICORN Cities of Refuge within the member region pay an annual fee of €1750.

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How much does it cost to run an ICORN City of Refuge and who covers the expenses?

ICORN Cities of Refuge are independently managed and financially self-sufficient. Who covers the expenses of running an ICORN programme depends on each city’s consortium of partners and the agreements between them.

The basic costs of hosting an ICORN resident for the standard period of two years should cover: ‍

- Appropriate furnished accommodation for the ICORN resident and their family.

- A scholarship/grant for the ICORN resident for the period of their ICORN residency. The amount of the scholarship/grant is agreed with the ICORN Secretariat.

- All travel expenses for the relocation journey of the ICORN resident and their family. From their country of residence to the ICORN City of Refuge, as well as departure arrangements at the end of the ICORN residency. These expenses should also include fees for visas, passports, and other necessary documentation.

- The salary of the ICORN City of Refuge coordinator(s) who will work with the ICORN resident to facilitate their professional and social integration and promotion in the host city and beyond.

- Appropriate working conditions and support for the ICORN resident for the duration of their ICORN residency.

- Health and residential insurances for the ICORN resident and their family for the duration of their ICORN residency.

- Access to services which will enable the ICORN resident to learn the language of the host country.

-The annual ICORN membership fee (see above).

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How does a writer, artist, or journalist become an ICORN resident?

For this information, please read the ICORN programme information page.

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Who and what decides which writer, artist, or journalist will be hosted in my ICORN City of Refuge?

The ICORN City of Refuge selects its resident in agreement with and based on the proposal by the ICORN Secretariat.

The ICORN Secretariat receives, assesses, and approves applications from writers, artists, and journalists at risk. Once an applicant has been approved for an ICORN residency, ICORN tries to match them with an ICORN City of Refuge as suitably as possible. This depends on factors such as cultural profile and the capacity and resources of the city.

The ICORN Secretariat then presents a list of candidates to the ICORN City of Refuge which makes the final decision and issues an invitation to an ICORN residency.

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How can the ICORN City of Refuge provide the invited writer, artist, or journalist with a visa or a residence permit?

When an ICORN City of Refuge has invited a writer, artist, or journalist to an ICORN residency and the offer has been accepted, the process of obtaining visas and residency permits for the ICORN resident and their family begins.

The procedure depends on both the receiving country and the country from which the ICORN resident is coming. The ICORN Secretariat advises and guides the ICORN Cities of Refuge through this process, drawing on expertise and experience.  

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What is the duration of an ICORN residency?

The duration of an ICORN residency is two years unless otherwise agreed with the ICORN Secretariat.

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How do the ICORN resident and the ICORN City of Refuge work together?

The ICORN City of Refuge designates a coordinator to work with the ICORN resident. The coordinator helps the ICORN resident to integrative in the city, supporting them in legal, practical, professional, and promotional matters.

Writers, artists, and journalists in ICORN residencies and ICORN Cities of Refuge have very diverse backgrounds and expectations for the ICORN residency. Therefore, ICORN highly recommends close cooperation and dialogue between the ICORN coordinator and the ICORN resident about their needs, skills, and wishes.

The ICORN resident should be included in relevant professional and social events, and it is the ICORN coordinator’s task to facilitate those for mutually beneficial outcomes. The ICORN coordinator will also assist in finding national and international events, opportunities, and partnerships.

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How is ICORN governed?

ICORN is both decentralised and coordinated. The ICORN Secretariat in Stavanger, Norway, serves as the administrative and communication hub for the independently managed ICORN Cities of Refuge.

The ICORN Board is made up of representatives from ICORN Cities of Refuge and is elected by the ICORN General Assembly, which occurs every two years.

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How is ICORN financed?

As an independent, non-profit membership organisation, ICORN is reliant on the support of trusts, foundations, public and private donors, and membership fees. The individual ICORN Cities of Refuge are independently financed and managed.

Who does ICORN work with?

ICORN is a freedom of expression, cultural, and human rights organisation at its core. It cooperates with a growing number of organisations, networks, and institutions in those fields at local, regional, national, and international levels to protect and promote writers, artists, and journalists at risk.

ICORN works actively with organisations such as PEN International and PEN centres, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ProtectDefenders, Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafy, Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), Scholars at Risk, Freemuse, and many more.

Since 2010, ICORN has been involved in EU projects (European Parliament and the European Commission), working on their initiative to establish a system of protection and shelter for human rights defenders.

ICORN is a member of the following organisations: ECRE, IFEX, EUTRP, JiD.

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How do the ICORN Cities of Refuge and ICORN work together?

Although the ICORN City of Refuge is responsible for all practical and promotional matters of the ICORN residency, the ICORN Secretariat assists throughout the process- prior, during, and after the ICORN residency.

The ICORN Secretariat also functions as the communication hub between the ICORN Cities of Refuge and writers, artists, and journalists in the ICORN network.

For more details on the cooperation between ICORN and its Cities of Refuge, please read the ICORN Membership Agreement.

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If you have further questions, please contact us on icorn@icorn.org.

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