Stavanger: Capital of Culture
Stavanger is located on the southwest coast of Norway. Founded on fishing, shipping and timber, the city is often referred to as Norway’s Oil Capital and the wooden house capital of Europe.
Stavanger is an international city and a centre for technology and research related to the offshore industry. Artistic and cultural life is flourishing and people from all parts of the world live here. In 2008, Stavanger is European Capital of Culture with the ambitious theme of Open Port.
Sølvberget: a European centre for freedom of expression
The city of Stavanger has played a visionary role in the cause of free speech and freedom of expression. Stavanger Library and Cultural Centre – Sølvberget – is an important driving force behind this work. Sølvberget is the city’s house of literature and the region’s cultural hub and meeting place. The Centre also houses Stavanger Library, one of the biggest and most up-to-date libraries in the country, along with a vibrant children’s museum, cinema and café. The Cultural Market at Sølvberget, in addition to its own exhibitions, offers a multitude of other programmes. In 2007, nearly two million people visited this cultural centre.
Sølvberget hosts the annual Kapittel Stavangers international festival for literature and freedom of expression. This has become one of Norway's most highly respected festivals with prominent local, national and foreign writers and artists in attendance. Each year the festival focuses on a new international subject.
Shahrazad in Stavanger
Since 1996, Stavanger has been a City of Refuge for persecuted writers and a founding member of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN). In 2005, Stavanger became the administrative centre for ICORN, which is based in Sølvberget.
This long-standing commitment to literature and free speech means that Stavanger is an experienced and dedicated partner in the Shahrazad:Stories for Life project. In addition to being the coordinator for the project, we have a special responsibility for the web page. We look forward to bringing you a captivating collection of new stories from all over the world and hope you will participate in our project.
Links:
http://www.regionstavanger.com/
http://www.stavanger-kulturhus.no/soelvberget/in_english/in_english
http://www.icorn.org/
