TO: PEN WiPCs

Please find below a message to PEN Centres from the International Cities of Refuge Network, ICORN. Please contact Helge Lunde of ICORN regarding this initiative.

Sara Whyatt

Programme Director

What is ICORN?

ICORN is the International Cities of Refuge Network, an association of cities and regions in Europe and beyond, offering refuge to persecuted writers worldwide. Currently having more than 20 member cities, ICORN is growing and expects to count among its members between 30 and 35 member cities in among others Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK by Spring 2009.

For additional information, ICORN’s four foundational documents are attached to this letter, the ICORN Charter, the ICORN Statutes, the agreement document between ICORN and International PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), and the letter of agreement between ICORN and its member cities. You can also find out more from the ICORN website www.icorn.org

ICORN’s request to all PEN centres

Any persecuted writer worldwide can apply to be hosted in an ICORN member city. ICORN works with International PEN and other partners to provide and facilitate refuge for as many writers in need as possible. In the process of consolidating and further developing our network, it will of utmost importance to get all kinds of inputs and suggestions on:

Any city worldwide that could be considering joining the network
Any persecuted writer worldwide that could possibly need or benefit from a placement in an ICORN member city.

Please send your thoughts and ideas on these or other issues around the project to me, Helge Lunde at icorn@icorn.org

The Collaboration between International PEN and ICORN

Following a document of agreement between ICORN and the WiPC, the WiPC team evaluates applications received by the ICORN Administration Centre in Stavanger , Norway , referring to the criteria as written into the ICORN charter, giving its comments on the suitability of the application upon which ICORN makes the final decision. It is then the task of the ICORN Administration Centre to facilitate a placement for the successful applicant in an ICORN member city.

ICORN also works in close understanding and collaboration with International PEN’s Writers in Exile Network, currently run by Norwegian PEN. Furthermore, many PEN Centres are working very closely with ICORN and its member cities (and indeed with the hosted writers) in their respective countries.

Helge Lunde

Director

ICORN