WEXFO

About Lillehammer

The World Expression Forum takes place annually in Lillehammer: UNESCO City of Literature,  ICORN city of refuge for artists at risk, and host of the biggest literature festival in Scandinavia. Norway ranks highly on Freedom of Expression indexes. The city, the region (Innlandet), and the country are committed to supporting freedom of expression around the world.

The small, idyllic town, only 2 hours by train from Oslo, offers a warm and friendly atmosphere with its green surroundings. It is one of the most important cultural cities in Norway, in a region with a rich literary tradition.

Lillehammer UNESCO city of literature

Lillehammer was granted UNESCO City of Literature status as a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2017. It is one of 39 cities of literature, and the only one of its kind in Scandinavia.

The Norwegian Festival of Literature

The Norwegian Festival of Literature, the biggest literary festival in the Scandinavian region, takes place in Lillehammer every year at the end of May. The 2023 festival will run from May 22ndth to May 28th.