Yusuf Suleiman, Justina, and Cris Gera perform at Festspelen, The Piteå Festival
This summer, Yusuf Suleiman, Justina, and Cris Gera performed at The Piteå Festival, Festspelen between 16 and 18 June 2025. Established in 1982, the festival’s 2025 edition featured musicians from the ICORN network. The initiative was organised in collaboration between Piteå City of Refuge and Norrbotten Rights Centre.
The performances started on 16 June with Uyghur musician Yusuf Suleiman, who sang traditional Uyghur music, accompanied by guitarist Tommy Lakso. Suleiman arrived in Piteå in 2023 and was the city’s ICORN resident until June 2025, after fleeing persecution by the Chinese authorities. He is continuing his musical studies at Framnäs Folk High School.
On 17 June, Justina, an Iranian rapper and singer-songwriter, took the stage with fellow Iranian artist Jamin. She performed her music which addresses women’s rights and broader social issues in Iran and beyond. Justina fled Iran for Georgia in 2018, after facing constant harassment and threats. She arrived in Piteå in 2020 where she was in ICORN residence until 2022.
That same evening, Kristina Englund, ICORN coordinator in Piteå, spoke about the city’s ICORN programme and its commitment to human rights and freedom of expression. She was joined by Helena Stenberg from the Norrbotten Rights Centre and municipal councillor Kata Nilsson.
The festival concluded on 18 June with a performance by Zimbabwean musician Cris Gera. He performed Afro-Jazz, Afro-Pop, traditional Zimbabwean music, and gospel, drawing from his albums as well as covering other artists’ work. Gera arrived in Piteå in 2018 after being targeted in Zimbabwe for his music and was the city’s ICORN resident from 2018 to 2020.
