International PEN Newsletter December 2008
Thursday, 18 December, 2008 10:50 PM
From International Secretary :
Dear Friends,
Looking back at 2008, I believe it is fair to say we have seldom been more active in one year. We launched our first literary festival, Free the Word! in London, in April, and now we are working hard to follow its success with a second Free the Word! in April 2009. I just hope as many of you as possible will have the opportunity to come - I can assure you it will be a worthwhile adventure!
The Writers for Peace Committee had their conference in Bled in March, hosted by Slovene PEN, followed by another successful conference, The Writers in Prison Committee gathering in Glasgow, hosted by Scottish PEN. The China campaign, supported by many PEN Centres, ran throughout the year and I would like to say a huge thank you to all who took part, and who responded to the amazingly widespread poetry relay focusing on freedom of expression issues in the host country of this year's Olympic games.
As most of you know I was not able to come to Congress in Bogotá, but all the news I received told me how highly appreciated this harmonious and interesting meeting was. We in the International PEN office worked hard to make it successful, but the one to honour first and foremost is the host, Colombian PEN, and particularly Cecilia Balcazar whose efforts I believe were more than admirable.
It is impossible to mention all the activities International PEN has been involved with, but I just want to end by thanking Algerian PEN for the extraordinary translation conference they held just two weeks ago, and all the members of the International PEN staff in the office in London for their enthusiasm and engagement with all the work we are now focusing on.
All the best,
Eugene,
International Secretary
-------------x---------------
From Executive director:
Dear Friends,
As Eugene has already said, we are extremely grateful to Colombian PEN for their hosting of this year's Congress and in particular to Cecilia Balcazar for her tremendous hard work in realising this event. We were delighted to welcome Yang Lian to the Board of International PEN and thank Elisabeth Nordgren for all her hard work.
We also must also congratulate, Mohamed Magani, who was re-elected to the Board in Bogotá and who earlier this month oversaw the staging the first Algiers International Meeting on Literary Translation. The conference was hosted by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with The Higher Arab Institute for Literary Translation, Algerian PEN and International PEN. Writers, translators, publishers, cultural agencies and funders gathered to discuss ‘Translating and Living Together'. The Minister of Culture announced new funding for literature in translation and International PEN has made a series of recommendations to build on the outcomes of the meeting.
As the current year comes to an end, plans are already under way for new projects in 2009. This will be the final year of the current three year strategic plan and from January 2009 we will be inviting all of you to give us to give us your thoughts and feedback in order to develop both our priorities for the next three years (2010 -2012) and to enable us to develop a new organisational identity. The resulting three year plan will be presented to delegates at the 2009 Congress in Linz, in October 2009. The organisational identity will be agreed by the Board of International PEN and PEN Centres invited to adopt it from spring 2010.
Finally, on a sad note, Karen Efford our International Programmes Officer will be leaving us after five years. We are very grateful for all that she has done for International PEN and we wish her the very best.
On behalf of us all at International PEN, we wish you the very best for a wonderful festive season and look forward to working with you in 2009,
Caroline McCormick
A NEW TRANSLATION PARTNERSHIP
We are delighted to announce that Temple Translations, an international translation company based in London, has agreed to support us in a sponsorship enabling us to fully commit to operating in our three official languages - English, French and Spanish - for the first time. During the next 12 months, we will collaborate to produce materials across all areas of our work, allowing us to better communicate with everybody in PEN as well as our worldwide partners.
For more information about the partnership visit the International PEN website and for more information about Temple Translations visit http://www.templetranslations.com/
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: CAMPAIGN NEWS AND ACTIONS
Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2008
On 15 November every year, International PEN stages the Day of the Imprisoned Writer, aiming to raise awareness of harassment, persecution and detention of writers for the practice of their professions. This year, five cases were selected to illustrate the variety of issues that writers face in Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Peru and Zimbabwe. The 39 writers and journalists murdered since the last Day of the Imprisoned Writer in November 2007 were also commemorated. Centres world wide organised events celebrating the courage of their colleagues under attack. For a full report go to http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/freedom-of-expression/campaigns
Myanmar: Judicial crackdown on dissent
International PEN was stunned by the fifty-nine year sentence served against the Burmese poet and comedian, Zargana, who was also featured in the 2007 Day of the Imprisoned Writer. For more go to http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/myanmar-zargana-sentenced-to-total-of-59-years
and looking ahead ....
Freedom to Write in the Americas
In late January 2009, the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN will be launching a year-long campaign to promote freedom of expression and the right to write in the Americas, with a particular focus on Mexico, Cuba and Venezuela. The campaign will highlight the persecution of writers and journalists and the issue of impunity, provide direct support to colleagues in trouble and raise awareness of trends of repression and censorship threatening writers' rights in the region. 28 PEN Centres worldwide have already signed up to the campaign and all others are encouraged to join in, regardless of whether or not they have a Writers in Prison Committee. For more information, contact Tamsin Mitchell, WiPC researcher for the Americas:
http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=tamsin.mitchell@internationalpen.org.uk
An invitiation from the Writers in Exile Network to all PEN Centres
The Writers in Exile network aims to share and distribute information in order to help writers fleeing from persecution establish themselves in new environments. We would like to invite all PEN Centres to consider joining the network to work together in sharing experiences and information. For the full invitation click here click here or go to http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/committees-and-networks/networks
COMMITTEE NEWS
Writers in Prison Committee Conference 2008
The 8th International Conference of the Writers in Prison Committee will be held from 1 to 2 June as part of the Global Forum on Freedom of Expression in Oslo, Norway held from 1 to 6 June. For more go to: http://expressionforum.org/
Women Writers Committee
Reminder! The fourth volume of Our Voice, an anthology of writings produced by the Women Writers' Committee, is now available. Featuring fiction, poetry, essays and cultural writing visit http://www.spdbooks.org/ to buy.
Writers for Peace
The Writers for Peace Committee are preparing for their annual meeting in Bled next year. In 2008, more than 30 PEN Centres participated and it is hoped that more will join the conference in 2009. Edvard Kovak, the Chair of the Committee, was invited to a number of institutions this year to give speeches on intercultural dialogue, including the University of Toulouse and the French Institute in Berlin.
Translation and Linguistic Rights
At the 74th International PEN Congress, Josep Maria Terricabras (Catalan PEN) was elected as the new Chair of the Translation and Linguistic Rights Committee, taking over from Kata Kulavkova who was elected an International PEN Vice President for services to PEN. The Committee is planning to hold its annual meeting in Barcelona on April 21 and 22, 2009.
PEN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Context: Latin America and the Caribbean out now
Continuing our series focussing on new writing from and about different regions of the world, this autumn/winter it is the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean. Featuring the work of writers from well over a dozen countries, our guest writers are Patrick Chamoiseau of Martinique and Ernesto Cardenal of Nicaragua. Other highlights including the Brazilian novelist Milton Hatoum, an interview with reggae and dub artist Lee Scratch Perry, a short story by Ecuadoran-American writer Niki Aguirre, and excerpts from new books including the Haitian novelist Jean-Claude Fignolé's Une Heure Pour L'éternité.. Also back for the second time is ‘Found in Translation', sponsored by Bloomberg, featuring work translated from Spanish, Quechua, Aymara and Portuguese into English, Spanish and French.
Remember! PEN Centres receive two copies of each magazine, so ask your President or Secretary if you can borrow one to read or you can subscribe yourself. Visit http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/pen-international-magazine/subscribe for more information.
We need your writing!
The spring issue of PEN International will take International PEN's literary theme ‘Heaven and Earth'. This issue is timed to coincide with Free the Word!, International PEN's festival of world literature in London, in April. Many elements govern the relationship between Heaven and Earth, from the fantastical paradises created in our imaginations to the most material of concerns. Key concepts include, but are not limited to: faith and reason, hope and disillusionment, ideology and reality, the environment, imaginative freedom and imprisonment. We welcome submissions exploring the idea of Heaven and Earth in poetry, short stories, essays, articles and excerpts from longer works. Deadline: 16 February 2009 For writing guidelines and how to submit click here
Take out a subscription to PEN International for 2009
'For anyone who believes that words can help us chart a path, PEN International is essential reading' Alberto Manguel
For only £10 / €16 / $25 per year you can delight in some of the best contemporary writing from around the world. One year's subscription includes two issues of the magazine. Contributors have so far included Wole Soyinka, Patrick Chamoiseau, Margaret Atwood, Adonis and Nadine Gordimer. To subscribe or find out more, visit PEN International Magazine on the International PEN website.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES: AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, ASIA AND PACIFIC
Africa
Throughout 2008, International PEN worked with the PEN Centres in Africa to increase their capacity and develop programmes. Six programmes grants were awarded to PEN Centres in Africa in 2008 for projects relating to education and reading and writing, library events for the community and programmes in schools. For example, Somali Speaking PEN ‘s main aim is to promote reading and writing in Somali, which has only existed as a written language since 1972. The Centre is working towards this by carrying out an education project in schools in and around Djibouti, holding creative writing workshops with students. And Nigerian PEN is holding a series of workshops examining the role of the writer in society and in education. These include events for young writers and also creative reading and writing workshops in community groups and schools. Also PEN Centres in Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Uganda, Somalia and Zambia, held events for the Day of the Imprisoned Writer on November 15th to promote freedom of expression and human rights issues in their countries. International PEN has recently received additional funding for the Africa Programme from ArtVenture and the Alan and Babette Sainsbury Charitable Trust, which will increase the level of funding available to active PEN Centres in Africa in 2009.For information about further Centre activities and our work with the African PEN Centres, visit the international programmes pages of the International PEN website.
Latin America and the Caribbean
International PEN held a regional conference with PEN Centres in the Latin American and Caribbean region in May 2008. We talked about the shared priorities for the next year, and Centres identified such matters as the promotion of indigenous literature and culture and freedom of expression. PEN Centres in the region recommended several writers for PEN International 'Context: Latin America and the Caribbean' and the issue, out now, includes work by members of Mexican, Paraguayan, Colombian and Puerto Rican PEN. In 2009, we will work together to identify the activities and programmes that can be carried out to support the priorities of the Latin American and Caribbean PEN Centres, and we will also look at how to support and develop Centre capacity.
Asia and Pacific
As well as continuing work with the African and Latin American and Caribbean PEN Centre, in 2009, International PEN will begin work with the PEN Centres in the Asia and Pacific region too. We are planning a regional conference to take place in Tokyo in July 2009. Also, the second edition of PEN International magazine will be the fourth in the Context series, ‘Context: Asia and the Pacific'. Please visit the International PEN website for more information in spring next year.
INTERNATIONAL PEN WEBSITE: AN UPDATE ON THE PEN MEMBERS' AREA
The new PEN members' area on the International PEN website will now be launched in spring 2009. New features will include a discussion forum where PEN members can talk about and share their work, important documents such as Congress papers, presentations and speeches, and the chance to search for other PEN members to see if they have joined up. If you are a PEN member who would like to help test the area by creating your own profile and taking part in one of the first discussion forums before it is officially launched, then please email Emily Bromfield, International PEN's Communication Director at http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=emily.bromfield@internationalpen.org.uk
PEN CENTRE NEWS
ALGERIAN PEN: The Algerian Ministry of Culture and Algerian PEN co-organised an international conference on literary translation, which took place in Algiers 2nd to 5th December. The theme of the conference was ‘translating and living together' and brought together over 100 writers, translators, publishers and editors from around the world. It is hoped that the conference will be a biannual event.
KAZAKH AND FINNISH PEN:
The second anthology of fiction by Central-Asian women writers was launched on December 5th in Helsinki. ‘Nightingale in Cage' follows ‘The Insatiable Furnace' with work from two writers from every Central-Asian country. This project is co-ordinated by the Women Writers' Committee of Finnish PEN who hosted a conference for and about women from this region in August 2007. Profits from the sale of these anthologies will support the work and activities of Kazakh PEN.
For more information and to order a copy contact Rita Dahl
---------------------------------xox--------------a comment is in italic----
dahl said...
There is a mistake here (still, even if I have corrected it!!): Finnish PEN´s Nightingale in Cage, an anthology of fiction by Central-Asian Women Writers, is launched together with BISHKEK PEN Centre. Kazakh PEN has nothing to do with it, and all the profit also goes to Bishkek PEN.
December 20, 2008 1:11 AM
------------------------------------xox----------------------
http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ritdahl@gmail.com
GALICIAN PEN:
Executive Director Caroline McCormick and International Treasurer Eric Lax had the pleasure of attending Galician PEN's 2nd biannual international conference, ‘De pedra e palabra,' in Santiago De Compostela, Spain. The conference brought together PEN members from 15 countries and three continents to discuss ways in which national cultures and languages can be made visible and relevant at an international level. The Centre also celebrates its twentieth anniversary, preparations for which are well under way.
NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE
International Poetry Prize Castello Di Duino
Young PEN poets under 30 years of age are invited to send their unpublished poems on the general theme of ‘Roads'. Participation is free and three winners will be selected along with a special prize for the best poem written by a poet under the age of 16. The deadline is 9th January 2009. For more information and for terms and conditions visit http://www.castellodiduinopoesia.it/
The Château de Lavigny International Writers' Residence
Eminent and emerging writers from all over the globe are invited to apply for a place on one of the three-week residences offered by the Château de Lavigny from June - September 2009. It is looking for writers interested in exchanging their ideas as well as concentrating on their own work. Applications must be received by 1st March 2009. For more information and an application form visit http://www.chateaudelavigny.ch/
The Africa Poetry Chatroom Content Project 2008 - 2015
The Africa Poetry Chatroom Contest is a poetry competition that seeks to celebrate the wealth of poetry talent in Southern Africa. Young poets from SADDC countries are invited to contribute to a variety of themes including political democracy, pride of African culture, gender balance and child rights. The contest will be followed by a series of programmes and workshops and the 10 winning contestants will represent a theme and his/her own country in a series of programmes and festivals from now until 2015. For conditions of entry and how to submit your work visit www.poetrychatroom.blogspot.com
TipofyourTongue
TipofyourTongue is an International performance poetry festival which aims to pull apart ideas of what poetry is through education, performance and extraordinary installations. For details of how to get involved and for events happening from now until the next festival in 2010, contact http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sally@thepoetree.net
The next newsletter will be available in March 2009.
PEN Centres: please send your news for inclusion to Emily Bromfield, http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=emily.bromfield@internationalpen.org.uk
Originally founded in 1921 to promote literature, today International PEN has 144 Centres in 102 countries across the globe. Our primary goal is to engage with, and empower, societies and communities across cultures and languages, through reading and writing. We believe that writers can play a crucial role in changing and developing civil society. We do this through the promotion of literature, international campaigning on issues such as translation and freedom of expression and improving access to literature at international, regional and national levels.
Our membership is open to all published writers who subscribe to the PEN Charter regardless of nationality, language, race, colour or religion. International PEN is a non-political organisation and has special consultative status at UNESCO and the United Nations.
International PEN, Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London WC1V 6ER
Email: http://in.mc84.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@internationalpen.org.uk
Website: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/
International PEN is a registered charity, number 1010627To find out more visit http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/
Posted by Albert Ashok
All India PEN center, West Bengal
