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Justice & Peace Netherlands is launching a new call for applications for its initiatives: Shelter City and Artists’ Safe Haven initiative. The deadline for applications for both initiatives is 2 October 2022 at 23:59 CET (Central European Time). Please note that special conditions may apply due to COVID-19.

Artists’ Safe Haven initiative

Through its Artists’ Safe Haven initiative, Justice & Peace Netherlands aims to contribute to the promotion of freedom of artistic expression globally, including the right to create art, admire it, critique it, challenge it, be provoked by it, and respond to it free of governmental censorship, political interference or the pressures of non-state actors. Through the provision of temporary relocation and tailor-made support for artists at risk, Justice & Peace aims to promote the safety of these artists, and in particular women artists, worldwide so that they can build new strategies and continue their important work for freedom of artistic expression in their country of origin.

With support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Peace will be able to provide three temporary safe spaces in The Hague in March, June or September 2023 for artists or art practitioners at risk.

Shelter City initiative

Shelter City is a global movement of cities, organizations and people who stand side by side with human rights defenders at risk. Shelter City provides temporary safe and inspiring spaces for human rights defenders at risk where they re-energise, receive tailormade support and engage with allies. The term human rights defender is intended to refer to the broad range of activists, journalists and independent media professionals, scholars, writers, artists, lawyers, civil and political rights defenders, civil society members, and others working to advance human rights and democracy around the world in a peaceful manner.

From March 2023 onwards, several cities in the Netherlands will receive human rights defenders for a period of three months. At the end of their stay in the Netherlands, participants are expected to return with new tools and energy to carry out their work at home.

Journalists’ Safe Haven Initiative

Justice & Peace aims to promote the safety of journalists, and in particular women journalists, worldwide so that they can build new strategies and continue their important work for freedom of expression in their country of origin. With support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Peace will be able to provide two additional temporary safe spaces per year in The Hague for journalists at risk and provide them with tailor-made support.

COVID-19

COVID-19 may pose certain challenges to the stay of participants in the Netherlands in 2023. These challenges can include:

• Limitations and/or changes in the programme that we can offer during their stay in the Netherlands;
• New measures and restrictions (including a lockdown) taken by the Dutch government;
• Cancellation of flights to/from the Netherlands;
• Postponement of return to the home country after 3 months because of travel restrictions;
• Participants might be requested to self-quarantine for 5-10 days upon arrival in the Netherlands and to take other preventive measures due to COVID-19, including a COVID-19 test before travelling to the Netherlands.

Please consider these potential challenges carefully before applying to the programme.

To be eligible for the initiatives, applicants should meet the following conditions:

• They implement a non-violent approach in their work;
• They are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work or activism;
• They are willing and able to return to their country of origin after 3 months;
• They are willing to speak publicly about their experiences, work (of art) or about human rights in their country to the extent that their security situation allows;
• They have a conversational level* of English;
• They have a valid passport (with no less than 12 months of validity) or be willing to carry out the procedures necessary for its issuance. Justice & Peace covers the costs of issuing a passport and / or visa (if applicable);
• They are not subjected to any measure or judicial prohibition to leave the country;
• They are willing to begin their stay in the Netherlands around March 2023 (for Shelter City) or March, June or September 2023 (for Artists’ Safe Haven initiative).
  

*By conversational English we mean that participants’ level of English allows them to actively participate in a training, speak about their work, communicate with the host city, etc.  

Note that additional factors will be taken into consideration in the final round of selection, such as the added value of a stay in the Netherlands as well as gender, geographic, and thematic balance. Please note that only under exceptional circumstances are we able to accept human rights defenders and artists or art practitioners currently residing in a third country.

To apply for Shelter City or the Artists’ Safe Haven initiative, kindly find the online application form below. Application forms must be submitted by 2 October 2022 at 23:59 CET (Central European Time). An independent commission will select the final participants.

Apply now

Note that selected participants will not automatically participate as Justice & Peace is not in control of issuing the required visas to enter the Netherlands.

For more information, please contact us at sheltercity@justiceandpeace.nl or artists.safehaven@protonmail.com.