Holmestrand joins ICORN
On 7 October 2025, Holmestrand joined ICORN, affirming the city’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression and promoting cultural diversity by hosting a writer, artists, and journalist at risk. The ICORN Membership Agreement was signed by Lars Joakim Tveit, Municipal Director of Holmestrand, Annika Strömberg, Chair of the ICORN Board, and Helge Lunde, ICORN’s Executive Director.
Holmestrand is located on the western shore of the Oslo Fjord in Vestfold, Norway. Founded in the 1500s as an important timber shipping port, the city has grown into a vibrant community that combines a rich industrial heritage with maritime traditions.
With Holmestrand joining ICORN, all cities in the county of Vestfold are now Cities of Refuge. Steinar Engeland, coordinator for the ICORN work in Vestfold, said:
Over the past ten to fifteen years, Vestfold County Cuncil has been working systematically to ensure that all municipalities in the county become safe havens for writers. From Larvik in 2018 to Holmestrand in 2025, this effort has made Vestfold the only region in the world where all municipalities participate in the program. This is an important milestone that shows what kind of society we aspire to be, and underscores the significance of freedom of expression and the protection of threatened voices,"
The ICORN programme in Holmestrand will be run in collaboration between Holmestrand Municipality and Holmestrand Library, which provides a dedicated workspace for the city’s ICORN resident.
Welcoming the news, ICORN Executive Director Helge Lunde said:
'In our trying times, when municipal budgets are shrinking and nations fortify their borders, it’s fantastic that a new Norwegian city, Holmestrand, is joining ICORN. We wish them heartly welcome. We also wish to congratulate the region of Vestfold, who have developed their very own ICORN landscape of protection through the years. With Larvik, Sandefjord, Horten, Færder, and Tønsberg already ICORN members, Holmestrand's decision to join the network means that the picture is complete. All municipalities in Vestfold are committed ICORN Cities of Refuge. Which region around the world will follow suit?'
