Barcelona is hosting the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) General Assembly from 20 to 23 April. This significant event celebrates two decades of ICORN's work and Barcelona's own "Writer in Residence" programme, dedicated to protecting persecuted writers globally.
Mayor Jaume Collboni presided over the welcome ceremony at the City Hall's Saló de Cent. He highlighted Barcelona's historical role as a refuge city. "By education, by conviction, and by decision, Barcelona is committed to peace and freedom," Mayor Collboni stated. The assembly, titled "Cities in Revolt! Freedom, Culture and Refugees," aims to reaffirm cities' crucial role. It positions them as guarantors of liberties in an increasingly hostile world.
ICORN organises the event in cooperation with PEN Català. It receives support from the Barcelona City Council's Department of Global Justice and International Cooperation, and the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (ICUB). Additionally, the Generalitat de Catalunya, represented by the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes, Catalunya Internacional, and the Institut Ramon Llull, provides backing. The Spanish Ministry of Culture also supports the assembly. Representatives from over 90 cities worldwide are attending, according to the Barcelona City Council press room.
Barcelona's Enduring Commitment to Freedom
ICORN chose Barcelona for its solid track record in defending freedom of expression. The city also demonstrates a strong commitment to human rights. The International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) is a global network. It connects cities committed to safeguarding freedom of expression. ICORN offers refuge to writers, journalists, and artists persecuted for their professional work. Currently, it supports over 350 individuals in more than 90 member cities.
Barcelona's connection to ICORN dates back to the network's origins. The city, alongside PEN Català, participated in the founding assembly in Stavanger, Norway, in 2006. In 2007, Barcelona became one of the first cities to host an ICORN writer. This marked a firm and sustained commitment to creative freedom and human rights protection.
Barcelona's "Writer in Residence" programme offers a two-year refuge. It supports writers threatened, persecuted, or at risk of imprisonment due to their writings. This programme has provided temporary shelter, institutional support, and creative spaces for ten at-risk writers and journalists. The Barcelona City Council and PEN Català collaborate on this initiative. Barcelona's status as a UNESCO City of Literature further underscores its suitability. This distinction recognises the city's dynamic literary sector. It also highlights its dedication to promoting literature and reading.
Two Decades of Protecting Persecuted Writers
The assembly commemorates ICORN's 20th anniversary. It also marks two decades of Barcelona's "Writer in Residence" programme. This dual celebration adds significant symbolic and emotional value to Barcelona's role as host city. Throughout the three-day event, Barcelona transforms into a meeting point. Writers, activists, institutional representatives, and civil society members will discuss policies. They will reflect on welcoming and protecting creators persecuted for their ideas.
Key venues for the assembly include the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB). Other locations are the Biblioteca Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Fabra i Coats, Fàbrica de Creació, and the Centre d’Estudis i Recursos Culturals de la Diputació de Barcelona. These sites will host various sessions and discussions.
Public Events and Literary Dialogues
The assembly includes several public activities. On Monday, 20 April, at 19:30, the CCCB hosts "Displaced: New Belongings in a Fractured World." This inaugural conversation features Turkish writer Ece Temelkuran and Laura Huerga, President of PEN Català. On Tuesday, 21 April, at 18:00, the Biblioteca Francesca Bonnemaison presents a dialogue. Writers Bürhan Sönmez, President of PEN International, and Ömer Zülfü Livaneli will discuss literature and political commitment. Llucia Ramis will moderate this discussion, focusing on human rights defence and experiences of repression and exile in Turkey.
The event culminates with the Sant Jordi festival on 23 April. This cultural and symbolic framework champions literature and the written word. It serves as a tool for resistance and freedom. PEN Català will host an "absent signatures" stall at the literary superilla. This initiative gives a voice to persecuted writers worldwide. They cannot attend Sant Jordi to sign books.
Sant Jordi Celebrations and Social Responsibility
Organisers prepared several actions to introduce Catalan literature to international participants during Sant Jordi. All attendees receive a bookmark made in collaboration with the Molí Paperer Museum of Capellades and the Eixarcolant Collective. This artisanal paper bookmark incorporates seeds of the Pyrenean mystic rose. Attendees can download an English digital version of Miquel de Palol's The Garden of the Seven Twilights via the bookmark. After use, they can plant the seeds to grow the rose.
The Institut Ramon Llull programmed a dramatised reading organised by Míriam Cano. This features fragments of 20th-century Catalan literary works addressing exile, exclusion, violence, and censorship. This literary journey highlights voices that could have been silenced but endured as testimony and resistance. Attendees can also participate in guided visits to the "Rodoreda, a forest" exhibition at the CCCB. They receive a work by Mercè Rodoreda as a welcome gift.
The organisation incorporated social responsibility into catering services. Chef Ada Parellada designed the menu for the 20th-anniversary celebration. Social gastronomy producer Mescladís, which champions social justice and sustainability, will cook and serve it. Additionally, the Fundació Rubricatus will provide services on another occasion. This foundation promotes employment integration for adults with intellectual disabilities. These efforts highlight the assembly's commitment to broader social values.
The ICORN General Assembly in Barcelona reinforces the city's global standing. It demonstrates its unwavering dedication to protecting freedom of expression and human rights. It also sets the stage for continued international collaboration on these vital issues.
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Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Read original article.
