Linköping marks 10 years as an ICORN City of Refuge
In 2025, Linköping celebrates a decade of ICORN membership- the city’s practical and symbolic commitment to free expression. On 23 October, Linköping City of Refuge marked its anniversary with an event at Linköping City Library. The occasion was opened by the Mayor of Linköping Mikael Sandfridson and Ann-Charlotte Bäckman, Chair of the Culture Board.
Linköping joined ICORN in 2015 and has since hosted four ICORN residents- writer Housam al-Mosilli, originally from Syria (2016-2018), Bangladeshi writer and human rights activist Jahanara Nuri (2018-2020), writer, translator, and journalist Mahsa Malekmarzban from Iran (2021-2023), and contemporary visual artist and sculptor Zahraa Aqeel from Iraq who is in ICORN residency until 2026.
Reflecting on this time in Linköping, Housam al-Mosilli said:
‘Linköping offered not just safety- it offered dignity, space to breathe, and the quiet freedom to write again without fear.’
The anniversary event featured lectures, discussions, and cultural presentations on democracy, press freedom, and the role of ICORN Cities of Refuge in protecting and promoting freedom of expression. The speakers included Erik Larsson from Reporters Without Borders, publicist and journalist Svante Weyler, Stefan Jonsson, Professor at Linköping University, writer Hana al-Khamri, originally from Saudi Arabia, and ICORN Board Chair Annika Strömberg.
Former ICORN residents in Linköping - the Bangladeshi writer and activist Jahanara Nuri and Iranian journalist, writer, and translator Mahsa Malekmarzban- shared their stories and work. Elisabeth Asp, ICORN Coordinator in Linköping, offered insights from her professional experience.
