Iranian journalist and human rights activist, Asieh Amini, recently did an interview with Swedish TV channel Kanal Global's Miniatyr programme. During her visit, which was in collaboration with Riksteaterns project Voices of Change, the author and journalist talked about her fight against death penalty in Iran.
Amini currently lives in Norway, where she is a Guest Writer of Trondheim City of Refuge.
The TV interview is in Persian with Swedish subtitles.
A short film presenting ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network, is now available on YouTube. Directed by French filmmaker Marion Stalens and produced by Bellota Films, the seven-minutes clip explains how ICORN came about, portraits some of ICORN's Guest Writers, and sees ICORN staff explain some of the major challenges ahead.
ICORN is a dynamic, flexible and participatory organisation, connecting its member cities and their Guest Writers in a global network of solidarity, creativity and mutual interaction.
– We are very happy for the opportunity this film offers to explain to a larger public how important it is to fight for freedom of expression, and to mobilise more cities to shelter persecuted writers, says ICORN director Helge Lunde.
Stalens made the film in connection with the production of her new documentary Silence or Exile, which is produced by Bellota Films with support by Fritt Ord and Shaharazad - stories for life among others.
Four Iranian cartoonists were handed the first International Editorial Cartoon Prize by Honorary President of Cartooning for Peace, Kofi Annan, in May this year. Firoozeh Mozaffari, Hassan Karimzadeh, Mana Neyestani and Kianoush Ramezani represent a new generation of talented artists, and were honoured for their contribution and commitment to freedom and tolerance. The award ceremony took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
The international jury consisted of Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, Pierre Maudet, Mayor of Geneva, and three designers: Jean Plantu (France), Patrick Chappatte (Switzerland) and Liza Donnelly (USA). A slideshow from the event can be found on Donnelly’s blog.
