Under the slogan "Cities in Revolt," the meeting brought together writers and refuge cities from around the world

Barcelona hosted the 10th General Assembly of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) from 20 to 22 April, an event united by the shared commitment to defending freedom of expression. Barcelona has been a founding member of the network since 2006, meaning that this year marks twenty years of participation.

Catalonia International was one of the organizations collaborating with PEN Català in organizing the event, which, under the slogan "Cities in Revolt," brought together 250 writers, artists, activists and institutional representatives from 92 countries around the world. The programme combined professional sessions with activities open to the public.

The plenary sessions, literary conversations, meetings between cities, training spaces and various cultural activities took place in different venues across the city, including the CCCB, the Gabriel García Márquez Library and the Fabra i Coats complex.

Among the highlights were the opening conversation with Ece Temelkuran, the Sant Jordi dialogues and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the "Writer in Residence" programme. On 23 April, Catalonia's Day of Books and Roses, PEN Català set up a stand of absent signatures to give visibility to persecuted authors.