Wednesday, December 30, 2009

*UPDATE: LIU XIAOBO PRESS EVENT/RALLY LOCATION*‏



31 December 2009 01:07AM

Dear Friends:

Tomorrow’s press event/rally to protest the conviction of Liu Xiaobo in China will take place ON THE FRONT STEPS OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, 42nd Street at 5th Avenue, at 11:00 a.m.

We are hoping for a large turnout of PEN supporters to send a strong image, and message, of solidarity. Please join us for this event, which kicks off a year that marks the 50th year of PEN’s organized efforts to defend writers under threat around the world.

Many thanks,
Larry Siems
Director, Freedom to Write and International Programs

American PEN Center
contact:
info@pen.org

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As you have heard, the Chinese government has sentenced our colleague Liu Xiaobo to 11 years in prison in China.

This Thursday, we will hold an outdoor press event in midtown Manhattan to protest the verdict and press for Liu’s release. We believe this is both a good way to underscore PEN’s commitment to this case and to ring in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of PEN’s organized efforts to defend imprisoned and persecuted writers around the world.

Please join us for this important show of solidarity.

The event will take place at 11 a.m. at a convenient midtown Manhattan location—we will e-mail final details tomorrow. Additional details appear below.

Many thanks, and all best wishes for the New Year,

K. Anthony Appiah
Steve Isenberg
Larry Siems



This Thursday, New Year’s Eve, PEN will hold an outdoor press event in midtown Manhattan to demand the release of Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced on Christmas Day to 11 years in prison for his writings in China.

The press event will feature several prominent Members of PEN American Center reading short passages from Liu’s work. The event begins promptly at 11 a.m. and will last about ½ hour.

The event rings in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of PEN’s activism on behalf of writers who are jailed or face persecution because of their work. Joseph Brodsky, Wole Soyinka, Vaclav Havel, Jose Revueltas, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Alicia Portnoy, Salman Rushdie, Orhan Pamuk, and Taslima Nasreen, are just a few of the hundreds of writers PEN has freed or defended over the years.

There are currently almost 1,000 writers on PEN’s list of writers and journalists in danger because of their work. Leading the list is Liu Xiaobo, one of China’s most prominent writers and a past president and member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, which is doing on-the-ground PEN advocacy in China. Liu was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” for co-authoring “Charter 08,” a petition calling for political and human rights reforms in China, and for seven sentences in five articles he published on the internet that are critical of Chinese authorities.

PEN American Center President Kwame Anthony Appiah called his 11-year sentence “a scandal” and “a mockery,” and PEN Members around the world have vowed to step up efforts to win his release.


International PEN Newsletter December 2009

International Pen News Letter
International PEN Newsletter December 2009

This is my first chance to write to all of you after the Congress and the election in Linz. A great deal was said by delegates and candidates around the elections for president and for the board of trustee positions. It was a vigorous and transparent campaign, which can only be good for the world's leading freedom of expression organisation.

I only wish more of the Centres had been able to send delegates. This is a long standing financial problem, but perhaps also a conceptual problem. Somehow we have to make progress on this, because having Centres at Congresses is one of the ways of strengthening both Centres and our international role.

The priorities I talked about during the election are very much in line with what I have been hearing from PEN Centres around the world: reinforcing the role of our three official languages, finding ways to bring forward our multitude of languages, focusing on the accelerating threats to minority languages, and worst of all to indigenous languages. Hundreds are disappearing. The disappearance of a language and thus much of a people's culture is the ultimate loss of both literature and freedom of expression.

Within PEN the regionalisation which is beginning may be a tool for strengthening languages and drawing in new generations of writers. This regionalisation is also a way of creating strong conversations and debates within PEN regions and among them. A flat organisation can only be strengthened by such debates.

Perhaps it is also time for us to begin thinking about strengthening our Centres and our voice by reaching out into schools and universities in search of another kind of membership - students who support literature and freedom of expression. Some Centres have started down this road. This is something to think about and talk about. Of more immediate concern is the need to reinforce our various writer in exile initiatives. I have seen over the last few years how a number of our Centres have found new national energy by taking on writers who have been forced into the silent prison of exile.

What makes PEN essential in the world is our attachment to the marriage of literature and freedom of expression. These are not separate causes requiring a choice. They are one and the same. It is the balanced combination of literature and freedom of expression which has always defined our role in the world. I am looking forward to coming to the different regions of PEN, listening to your ideas and helping to move these ideas around among our Centres and members.



John Ralston Saul, International President

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This will be the last letter that I write to you, not only in 2009, but in this decade. Looking back I sincerely hope that next year, (not to mention the ten years after that), will show an improvement worldwide. I can not see that many positive events took place these first ten years of the 21st century. As a matter of fact I believe that for millions of people, it will be regarded with horror. In PEN though I like to think we managed to improve a lot - although I feel much is left to achieve in the years to come.

Since the last newsletter we have staged our 75th Congress. In Linz many of us met and as usual the Congress days were a mixture of good and interesting events. To arrange these Congresses will I guess remain just as important as they are difficult. As I see it we should never forget the amount of good will and hard and time-consuming work, sometimes beyond the limits of our capacity, which many fellow PEN members take on to give us the opportunity to experience these events. I feel the need to express my deep felt gratitude to Austrian PEN and those who arranged the Congress.

Now it is time to look forward. And what do I wish for PEN in the year 2010? 2009 saw the creation of the Ural-Altay solidarity network, of new Centres, as well as the revival of Albanian PEN. The second Free the Word! festival in London as well as the first in Linz, Guadalajara, Kingston and Dakar took place and prepared the way for coming literary events in various countries next year. We took new initiatives to close the distance between the growing Middle East literatures and the western dominated written world. Our work in many African countries developed in a most promising way. And despite the world economic crises the PEN finances managed to float.

So, my primary hope for the next PEN year? To grow and deepen the relationship between our Centres, and between our Centres and us in International PEN, and that we all will experience an enriching and fruitful 2010!

A happy new year to all of you from
Eugene Schoulgin, International Secretary
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I was delighted to spend some time with so many of you at the 75th International PEN Congress in Linz a few weeks ago. I am always inspired to hear about the important work you have been doing since we last met. Those of you who were unable to join us in Linz have also been very much in my thoughts.

Alongside our conversations and exchanges, a number of important decisions were made by the Assembly of Delegates. Significantly, this included the overwhelming vote in favour of 'Our Story - the plan for the next three years.' It is wonderful to have your support for this plan and to have a shared set of goals which we will look to achieve together in the coming years. I am particularly grateful to all of you who participated in the questionnaire and interviews which informed the development of 'Our Story'.

Looking back over the period of the current plan (2007-2009), which we are now reaching the end of, I feel that we have made good progress in developing our organisation to address the challenges of the world around us; we have re-launched PEN International magazine with it's first dedicated editor, re-launched the website in three languages for the first time, we have established a new festival of world literature, Free the Word!, which will take place in nine countries in its current cycle, strengthened the capacity of the Writers in Prison Committee, launched regional programmes which now include almost half of the PEN Centres, as well as seeing the opening of many new PEN Centres. Whilst we can be proud of the progress which we have made, there is still much work to be done to ensure that we are reaching as many people worldwide as we can and that our work is having the maximum impact possible.

What is clear is that this can only be achieved by ensuring that we continue to work in harmony and this requires us to retain the sense of community that binds us together. Whilst we cannot always be together at Congress, the daily messages and conversations we share about the things that matter to us; literature, language and freedom of expression, continue to be at the heart of organisation.

My best wishes to you all and I look forward to talking to you in 2010!

Caroline McCormick, Executive Director
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Special feature: celebrating the work of the PEN Centres in the Asia and the Pacific region and the work of International PEN's regional programmes

Over the past two years this newsletter has highlighted the work being carried out by PEN Centres in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2007, International PEN began a new way of collaborating with Centres region by region across the world. These International Programmes focus on strengthening PEN Centres and programmes exploring the role of the writer in civil society, the role of reading and writing in empowering communities, and the role culture plays in development and human rights.

Earlier this year, the International Programmes team met with PEN Centres in the Asia and Pacific region. This newsletter turns the spotlight on their activities and goals, which are as diverse as the geographical area itself. The International Programmes team is looking forward to working with these Centres over the coming year to support and help grow these activities.

Afghanistan PEN has a packed calendar of literary events, with every day of the month dedicated to a different theme, ranging from celebrating emerging authors to promoting women's writing. The Centre is heavily involved in educational programmes, which include writers' workshops in schools, blog competitions, interactive poetry via mobile phones, providing consultancy services on how to make education tools more engaging, and recording an album of educational music for Afghan children. Since its establishment in 2003 the Centre has also campaigned on freedom of expression issues within the country.

The PEN All India Centre was established in 1930. The Centre is currently enjoying a packed programme of activity, with 92 events organised over the past four years, working under the mission statement of ‘Breathing Literature into Life'. The Centre also undertakes freedom of expression advocacy work, and in the future hopes to strengthen its current levels of visibility in both the literary and advocacy areas.

Bangladesh PEN was founded in 1974. Education work is a priority for the Centre, which has in the past run programmes providing education and learning materials for street children. The Centre also coordinates literary programmes such as the celebration of figures of national importance.

Hong Kong Chinese-Speaking PEN was established in 1955. The Centre currently has over 40 members who meet regularly and publishes a literary journal. The Centre also helps its members to apply for official sponsors for the publication of books. The main area of concern and activity for the Hong Kong Chinese-Speaking PEN is freedom of expression in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Independent Chinese PEN was founded in 2001. The Centre has 250 members, approximately half of whom are based in China and half spread across various countries. The Centre's main area of activity is the Writers in Prison Committee, which works closely with International PEN to disseminate information and release statements protesting the actions of the Chinese government. In 2008 the Centre held a World Press Freedom Day event in Hong Kong, participated in the International PEN Poem Relay, and collaborated with the American and Canadian PEN Centres on the ‘We are ready for free expression' campaign.

Japan PEN (the Japan PEN Club) was founded in 1935. With a membership of 1500 writers, Japan PEN is a well-established voice in the country's literary landscape and has a strong presence in the national media. The Centre carries out a regular programme of committee-based activities and is particularly involved in questions of freedom of expression, peace, environment, children's literature, translation, and women's writing.

Korea PEN was established in 1954 and became a member of International PEN in 1955; it has over 300 members. The Centre holds a regular series of seminars, lectures, and poetry recitals. It also awards literary prizes and publishes a quarterly literary journal. It is currently preparing to host the International PEN World Congress in 2012.

Melbourne PEN was founded in 1925. The Centre has a regular presence at the Melbourne Writers' festival, and is also involved in freedom of expression advocacy work and promoting women's writing. In 2001 the Centre launched the Asia and Pacific Writers Network (www.apwn.net), which functions as a website and aims to promote literary exchange amongst writers in the Asia and Pacific region; translation is a priority for the Centre. Moreover, up until the recent handover at the Linz Congress the Chair of the International PEN Women Writer's Committee was based in Melbourne PEN.

Nepal PEN has existed since 1980. In the last year Nepal PEN has organised visits from established writers and poetry workshops. It has also begun publishing a regular newsletter. In the immediate future Nepal PEN hopes to develop a collaboration with the UNESCO office in Kathmandu, and organise a seminar on the subject of intellectual property law.

New Zealand PEN has existed since 1934 and focuses largely on freedom of expression. Of the programme of activities that the Centre undertakes, the most important is the yearly Courage Day, which takes its name from the gay-rights activist and journalist, James Courage, and raises awareness about journalists and writers who continue to face prosecution today. Additionally, the Writers in Prison Committee is active throughout the year.

Pakistan PEN was established in 2002. The Centre has focused largely on education projects, working to encourage young writers at school and university level. The Centre has also set up an annual First Book award. It has its own website (www.penpakistan.org) and produces a regular newsletter as well as a literary journal, written in six languages.

Philippines PEN was founded in 1957. The Centre holds an annual congress, and in 2007 it celebrated its 50th anniversary with an event held at the National Museum of the Philippines under the title of ‘Literature, Nation and Globalization'. Philippines PEN has also published three PEN anthologies and provided teacher training in different regions of the country. During the Marcos dictatorship many PEN members were arrested and imprisoned. Representatives from the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN travelled to Manila twice to press the government to release the writers. Since the end of the dictatorship in 1986 the Centre has continued to publish papers and resolutions on questions of freedom of expression, including campaigning and protests against the disappearance of journalists, as well as against the recent government-imposed levy on imported books.

Sydney PEN was established in 1931 and has over 150 members around Australia. The Centre has a very active Writers in Prison Committee: in the past twelve months their focus has been on grassroots advocacy for writers in the Asia and Pacific region; including a strong presence at the Sydney Writers' Festival resulting in a letter-writing campaign for six different writers on the Writers in Prison Committee case list, and an Empty Chair Community Campaign that has seen the Empty Chair adopted by local libraries, universities and cultural events around NSW. In 2009, the Centre has been supported by the Copyright Agency Limited, BarNet, the New South Wales State Library and the University of Technology Sydney to run a programme of literary events. One of the Centre's priorities for 2010 is to build a strong web presence so as to maintain its visibility and expand the scope of its extensive work on freedom of expression; and to launch an annual translation exchange fellowship in the region.

Uyghur PEN was officially established in 2008. Since its inception the Centre has been working towards the twin aims of raising awareness about Uyghur culture and campaigning for Uyghur writers facing persecution from the Chinese government. Uyghur PEN seeks to build bridges between the Uyghur community and the Han Chinese, rather than to widen the divide. In 2009 the Centre organised the first Ural-Altay Solidarity Network meeting for writers in Central Asia. In 2010 the Centre plans to launch of a campaign in support of Uyghur writer Nurmehemmet Yasin.

Tibetan Writers Abroad PEN was established in 1999 in Dharamsala and currently has 68 members, mostly based in India but also spread across Europe and the US. Writers in Tibet are also affiliated with the Centre. As a Centre in exile, its twin priorities are to preserve the written and spoken Tibetan language, and to campaign for freedom of expression in China. The Centre publishes a newspaper that includes traditional literature and poetry, as well as social and political commentary which is distributed to students and teachers. The Centre also carries out a regular programme of visits and workshops to Tibetan exile schools in India, teaching reading and writing skills.

Taipei Chinese PEN exists since 1959 and currently has approximately 50 members. The Centre organises visits to remote or less privileged communities to promote literacy through reading and writing. Its also regularly organises literary salons and lectures, as well as publishing a quarterly bilingual journal of contemporary literature.
Reminder! The last chance to help us build a new logo for PEN

We invite you to make your mark! Please send us letter-forms from the alphabet/s of the language/s that you speak and write. Include also any letter-forms in your language that are unique or especially beautiful. Letters should be hand-written by a member of your PEN Centre, and scanned, emailed, faxed or posted to Emily Bromfield emily.bromfield@internationalpen.org.uk.

We will take a sample of letters from the different alphabets from all the Centres to form PEN's new logo. With a unifying brand image that will help us make our work better known, locally and internationally, we can strengthen the visibility, recognition and trust of PEN around the world. We need your contributions by 4th January 2010.
Free the Word! London 2010

Next year's Free the Word! in London is already beginning to take shape. From the 14th to 18th April, it will mark the end of our first year of the global festival that has seen events celebrating the best contemporary writing from around the world.

Continuing with the theme of ‘Words, Words, Nothing but Words ... ?' taken from Shakespeare's Troilus & Cressida, Free the Word! in London in 2010 will see an extra day of great writers and interesting events. Venues along London's Southbank will play host to today's literary stars including Nawal El Saadawi, Kamau Brathwaite, Rutu Modan, Juan Gabriel Vasquez, Gillian Slovo and Richard Ford, as well as celebrating the writers of tomorrow. It already looks like it will be a festival to remember.
Writers in Prison Committee

Writers in Prison Committee

A new Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee, Marian Botsford Fraser, was elected at the 75th International PEN Congress in Linz, Austria this October. To read more about Marian and to read the first of her monthly pieces focussing on Writers in Prison issues, click here. To contact Marian you can email her at wipc@internationalpen.org.uk

On 15 November 2009, International PEN's membership of writers' worldwide commemorated their colleagues who are imprisoned, attacked and even killed. In any given year PEN is monitoring around 1,000 cases of attacks on writers, journalists and publishers. Of these around 200 are in prison, some serving sentences of over 20 years. Others are suffering unfair trials, harassment and threats. Each year PEN focuses on five of these writers, one from each world region. This year they were:

PEN also focussed on 33 other print journalists killed since November 2008. Seven of the killings were in Russia, six in Mexico, and four each in India and Pakistan.

During the days surrounding 15 November, PEN members around the world sent protests to governments, issued petitions, wrote articles, and staged events. Panel debates, readings, musical performances and other PEN Centre activities were staged in Berlin, Lugano, Zurich, Geneva, Barcelona, Agramunt (Catalunya), Potenza (Italy), Auckland, Glasgow, Oslo, Stockholm, London, Nairobi, Los Angeles, Accra, Sydney and elsewhere.


f you would like to read the full report and recommendations, please contact Tamsin Mitchell at tamsin.mitchell@internationalpen.org.uk

Translation & Linguistic Rights Committee

The Translation & Linguistic Rights Committee had positive meetings during the International PEN Congress in Linz, Austria in October. The meetings provided the opportunity to review the recent work of the Committee, as well as the planning and development of focuses for translation and linguistic rights work during the next year in PEN Centres throughout the world. This included issues such as how to connect with social initiatives on translation such as festivals, prizes, exhibitions, the importance of getting in touch with non-standardized (oral) languages, and how to improve coordination among the Committee's Centres. During the meeting, four UNESCO funded delegates delivered papers covering key themes in the Committees' remit and development plans. These ranged from: the developmental issues raised by Zeinab Koumanthio Diallo in her paper entitled ‘langues nationales, traduction, éducation et développement durable'; to the historical and cultural importance of living in a plurilingual society, as discussed by Solomon Hailemarian Erba in his paper on ancient languages and literatures in Ethiopia; to the pragmatic dimension in defending languages evoked by Dalmira Telepergenova with her presentation on language and the Ural-Altay solidarity network; to a Zambian case on the gain and loss of translation presented by Nicholas Kawinga.


Women Writers Committee

The Women Writers Committee elected a new Chair at the 75th International PEN Congress in Linz, Austria, in October. Kadija George is a member of African Writers Abroad PEN and has been an active member of the Women Writers Committee for several years. To read more about Kadija, click here. In 2010, the Women Writers Committee will be focussing on how to creatively connect women writers across the world, to share skills, advice, knowledge and more. They will also be looking to support the upcoming regional women's conference in India. For more information or to get in touch with Kadija, email her at ipwwcommittee@gmail.com


Writers for Peace Committee

The Peace Committee has continued to work since the congress in Linz. For Peace in the Middle East, Zeki Ergas has written an open letter to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Sylvestre Clancier is working with some famous Israeli and francophone writers towards an international meeting in Haifa. We are currently seeking sources of financing to invite them to the International Conference and the meeting of the Peace Committee in Bled in Slovenia in March 2010. Our chairman, Eugene Schoulgin, is also assisting us and making a lot of contact with the writers in the Middle East. We continue to distribute the call for sustainable development and the protection of nature which was adopted in Linz. We have organised several press conferences in various European countries and we are working with the other organisations during the Copenhagen Conference to establish a favourable climate for nature. We are also continuing the interventions for freedom of the press in Russia and the protection of minority cultures in China. We welcome the activities of REN Russia and the active contact which some members of International PEN are making with them. The situations in Iran and Afghanistan remain worrying. We are following events closely and we are preparing letters to the authorities in these countries. The Vice-President of the Peace Committee, Teresa Salema, has created the Committee Blog, which can be found at: www.penclubeportugues.org . Preparations for the Conference in Bled in March 2010 are well underway. The famous writer Ismael Kadare has confirmed his attendance. The President of International PEN, John Ralston Saul, has also been invited.


Writers in Exile Network

A high number of PEN Centres, some of them not previously associated with the network, convened during the International PEN Congress in Linz to discuss the network's future. There was a general agreement that PEN should be engaged in exile issues and that the network should be upheld, to discuss issues and share knowledge at Congress and other conferences where possible. There was also general agreement to work in close cooperation with ICORN. Representatives from the US, German, Dutch, Pakistani, Canadian, Swedish, Iranian (in exile), Swiss-Italian, Finnish, Austrian, Scottish, Vietnamese, Gaelic, Swiss-Italian, Uyguhr, English and Norwegian PEN participated, as did representatives from ICORN and staff from the International PEN office. All Centres, no matter how big or small, are invited to join the network in order to further exchange information and experiences. For more information and to join, contact the Chair of the Exile Network, Carl Morten Iversen of Norwegian PEN at pen@norskpen.no


The next newsletter will be available in March 2010.

PEN Centres: please send your news for inclusion to Emily Bromfield, 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: info@internationalpen.org.uk
Website: www.internationalpen.org.uk
International PEN is a registered charity, number 1117088
To find out more visit www.internationalpen.org.uk

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

John Berger wins Golden PEN Award


Tuesday 1 December
John Berger wins Golden PEN Award



English PEN today announced the winner of the Golden PEN Award as John Berger.
The award is given annually to an accomplished writer whose body of work has had a profound impact on readers and who is held in high regard by fellow writers and the literary community. It is also important that the recipient’s ethos is consistent with, and supportive of, the values upheld by English PEN.

The winner is elected by the Trustees of English PEN, who represent a membership of more than one thousand writers and literary professionals. The award will be presented to Berger, along with a golden pen and a cheque for £1,000, at the English PEN Christmas Party on Monday 7 December at the Artworker’s Guild in London. Previous winners of the award include JG Ballard, Josephine Pullein-Thompson, Michael Holroyd, Doris Lessing and Harold Pinter.

An English art critic, novelist, painter and author, Berger is best known for his novel G., which won the 1972 Booker Prize, and for his essays on art criticism Ways of Seeing. His most recent books are Why Look at Animals? a collection of essays, where Berger analyses the marginalisation of animals, and Mural, a translation along with Rema Hammami of Mahmoud Darwish’s epic masterpiece.

Lisa Appignanesi, President of English PEN said: “I am delighted that the Golden PEN 2009 is to be awarded to John Berger. His novels have enlivened readers of fiction for generations. So, too, have his luminous essays, which bring the far as near as your hand: they make us look afresh at the world, at animals, at politics, at all our relations. His Ways of Seeing changed the course of art criticism and practice, alike. His work in film and theatre, perhaps most notably with Complicite, bears as unique an imprint as his poems, drawings, and translations. Throughout, his passion for justice shines: most recently that has taken him into 'the world's largest waiting room' which is the West Bank, and 'the world's largest prison', Gaza. I can think of no better life in writing and no writer who does more honour to the Golden PEN than does John Berger by accepting it.”

Geoff Dyer, who will deliver the encomium at the prizegiving commented: “I can think of no worthier recipient of the Golden PEN 2009 Award: in the unparalleled range of his work, in his extraordinary originality and innovation, in his unflagging commitment and limitless compassion, John Berger is exemplary both as a writer and as a human being.”




English PEN is the founding centre of International PEN, a worldwide association of writers with centres in 104 countries around the world, and works to promote literature as a means of intercultural understanding; to promote freedom of speech; and to build a world community of writers.

English PEN is actively involved in a range of campaigns to help protect persecuted writers, promote freedom of expression and encourage interest in and access to literature.

Recent campaigns and projects include:

  • Publishing a report, following a year-long inquiry in conjunction with Index on Censorship, which outlines recommendations for reforming the UK’s outdated and oppressive libel laws. For more information see www.libelreform.org

  • Helping refugees, asylum seekers and those whose first language is not English improve their reading and writing skills and providing a forum for discussion and publication of their work.

  • Campaigning on behalf of persecuted and imprisoned writers in countries where they may not be given a fair trial and where censorship abounds and critical public discussion is stifled. For the latest reports please see www.englishpen.org/writersinprison

  • Tickets for the English PEN Christmas Party can be booked by English PEN Members through the website www.englishpen.org/events. A small number of press tickets will be available for non PEN members. If you would like to discuss a press ticket please contact Sarah Hesketh on sarah@englishpen.org

For information regarding the Golden PEN Award please contact:
Jonathan Heawood, Director

0207 324 2535 / jonathan@englishpen.org

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Writers in Translation programme

How to apply to the programme

Writers in Translation is English PEN's newest programme. We award grants to support new books being published for the first time in English translation, and which have a clear link to the PEN charter.

There are two rounds of submissions per year. The deadline for the next call for submissions has now been set for Monday 1st March 2010. Books scheduled for publication in the second half of 2010 are eligible to apply in this round. Please fill in the application form (link below), and email it to us. Please post the supporting documents which cannot be emailed.



WiT Application Form



Conditions: Please read carefully

* Only titles which adhere to the PEN spirit of defending freedom of expression or promoting inter-cultural understanding will be considered. NB: Applicants will be asked to justify how the title adheres to PEN's aims, as set out in the PEN charter
* Titles should be published preferably within 18 months from receipt of application
* Samples sent to the programme MUST NOT exceed 6,000 words
* Responsibility for commissioning a sample translation for consideration by the programme lies with the publisher
* The translator of the sample MUST be the translator the publisher is going to use for the final published book
* The sample sent for consideration MUST be an edited version, even it is a work-in-progress
* The acknowledgement 'Recommended by English PEN' must be printed on the jacket of the work
* The acknowledgement 'This book has been selected to receive financial assistance from English PEN Writers in Translation programme supported by Bloomberg' must be printed on the introductory pages of every print run
* A short statement about the aims of English PEN must also be published on the prelims pages
* The name of the translator must be printed either on the front or back cover of the book
* Any press coverage/reviews of the book MUST mention the fact that the book is supported by English PEN's Writers in Translation programme
* 12 complimentary copies of the book must be sent to English PEN
* English PEN reserves the right to ask for additional information about the project.
* Please read carefully the submission criteria outlined in the application form.



Contact

For all queries, please contact philip@englishpen.org


Writers in Translation

Each year, Writers in Translation support between 6 and 8 books that are translated from a wide variety of foreign languages. Our aim is to celebrate books of outstanding literary value, dedication to free speech and intercultural understanding.


In November 2009, the Writers in Translation Committee chose to support 4 books which will be published in the first half of 2010:



Samuel Shimon (editor), Beirut 39: New Writing from the Arab World

A collection of the best new writing from the Arab world by 39 writers under 40, aiming, in conjunction with the Hay and Free the Word Festivals, to bring a new generation of writers to public attention



Atiq Rahimi, The Patience Stone

A young woman sits at her husband's bedside, twisting her worry beads, reciting prayers. Shot in the neck by a fellow soldier, he is in a coma. Alone and desperate for any sign of life from him, as her mind appears to unravel she also becomes intensely clear-sighted. Empowered by her husband's silence she steps out of the shadows of repression and begins an astonishing confessional.



Eli Amir, The Dove Flyer

A lyrical farewell to the city - and Jewish culture - that Eli Amir grew up in and loved, and which is now gone forever. A marvellous story, noble, dreamy and beautifully told, that brings alive the feel, the taste, the fears and the pleasures of the Jewish community of Baghdad.



Ngu~gi~ wa Thiong'o, Dreams in a Time of War

Through telling the story of his grandparents and parents and of his brothers' involvement on different sides of the violent Mau Mau uprising, Ngu~gi~ wa Thiong'o documents a momentous period in Kenyan history, etching a bygone era, capturing the landscape, the people and their culture, and the social and political vicissitudes of life under colonialism and war.

Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2009

Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2009
Press release
15 November 2009

Contact:

Sara Whyatt, Programme Director, Writers in Prison Committee, London, UK
Tel: +44 20 7405 0338 sara.whyatt@internationalpen.org.uk

Marian Botsford Fraser, Chair, Writers in Prison Committee, Toronto, Canada
m.b.f@sympatico.ca

"Since November 2008, thirty-five print and online journalists have been murdered," said Marian Botsford Fraser, Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee. "All over the world, writers and journalists and bloggers are suffering for practicing their right to speak out on issues that matter."

On 15 November 2009, International PEN's membership of writers world wide will commemorate their colleagues world wide who are imprisoned, attacked and even killed. In any given year PEN is monitoring around 1,000 cases of attacks on writers, journalists and publishers. Of these around 200 are in prison, some serving sentences of over 20 years. Others are suffering unfair trials, harassment and threats.

Each year PEN focuses on five of these writers, one from each world region. This year they are:
CAMEROON: Lapiro De Mbanga - Singer-songwriter

Read more...
CHINA: Liu Xiaobo - Dissident writer

Read more...
IRAN: Maziar Bahari - Journalist, editor, playwright and film-maker

Read more...
MEXICO - Miguel Ángel Gutiérrez Ávila, anthropologist, author and activist (d. 26 July 2008)

Read more...
RUSSIA: Natalia Estemirova, journalist and human rights defender (d. 15 July 2009)

Read more...

PEN is also focussing on 33 other print journalists killed since November 2008. Seven of the killings were in Russia, six in Mexico, and four each in India and Pakistan.

During the days surrounding 15 November, PEN members around the world will send protests to governments, issue petitions, write articles, and stage events. Panel debates, readings, musical performances and other PEN Centre activities will be staged in Berlin, Lugano, Zurich, Geneva, Barcelona, Agramunt (Catalunya), Potenza (Italy), Auckland, Glasgow, Oslo, Stockholm, London, Nairobi, Los Angeles, Accra, Sydney and elsewhere.

PEN members' support and campaigns for their colleagues in trouble has enormous impact, not only in the numbers released - over 30% of detainees are freed each year - but also for ensuring that issue of freedom of expression is high on the public agenda. The impact of this global support and solidarity between writers provides is immeasurable.

Next year, 2010, marks the 50th anniversary of the Writers in Prison Committee. We will be inviting all to join us in celebrating this remarkable organisation throughout the coming year.

About International PEN and its Writers in Prison Committee

Originally founded in 1921 to promote literature, today International PEN has 145 Centres in 104 countries across the globe. It recognises that literature is essential to understanding and engaging with other worlds; if you can't hear the voice of another culture how can you understand it?


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.

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN was set up in 1960 as a result of mounting concern about attempts to silence critical voices around the world and an office of volunteers was set up at the PEN head office in London to gather information and to alert the PEN membership to take action. The WiPC is now staffed by a team of experts who monitor around 1,000 attacks on writers, journalists, editors, poets, publishers and others in any given year. These include long prison terms, harassment, threats, and even murder.

PEN Beyond Margins Awards

PEN Newsletter
This event is free and open to the public.





Crossing Over:
The 2009 PEN Beyond Margins Celebration


PEN American Center invites you to attend an evening of readings and conversation honoring the winners of the 2009 PEN Beyond Margins Awards:

Uwem Akpan for Say You’re One of Them
Juan Felipe Herrera for Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems
Lily Hoang for Changing

Recent Oprah Book Club pick Uwem Akpan, Juan Felipe Herrera, and Lily Hoang will read from their work, and W.W. Norton editor Brendan Curry will join them for a panel discussion moderated by Jane Ciabattari about the pathway to critical and commercial success and how the winning titles borrow from multiple genres to create works that are vital and engaging.

>> More information


PEN American Center
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012
Tel. (212) 334-1660
Fax. (212) 334-2181
www.pen.org

Monday, November 16, 2009

A poem by a teenage cancer patient

A poem by a teenage cancer patient with a message


In my gmail inbox, I got a mail, the content is very sensitive. I think it is a real fact that a girl is dying of cancer. My request is please, if possible we writers should check the condition and do something for her. the email as follows:
-----------------------------------------------------

Dance


(This is a poem written by a teenager with cancer.
She wants to see how many people get her poem..
It is quite the poem Please pass it on.
This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York
Hospital
..
It was sent by

a medical doctor -
Make sure to read what is in the closing statement
AFTER THE POEM.)

SLOW DANCE
Have you ever
watched
kids
On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to
the
rain
Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly' s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance

so fast.
Time is short.
The music
won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie
in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through
your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it
tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his
sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time
To call and say,'Hi'

You'd
better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run
so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting
there.

When you worry and hurry
through your day,
It is like an unopened gift.....
Thrown away.


Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

------------
--------



FORWARDED
E-MAILS ARE TRACKED TO OBTAIN THE TOTAL
COUNT.



Dear All:
PLEASE pass this mail on to everyone you know -
even to those you don't
know! It is the request of a special girl who will soon
leave this world
due to cancer.
This young girl has 6 months left to live,
and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a letter telling everyone to
live their life to the fullest, since she never will.
She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get married and have a
family of her own.

By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a
little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent this to 500 people! So I know that we can at least send it to 5 or 6. It's not even your money, just
your time!
PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST.

Dr.
Dennis Shields, Professor
Department of Developmental and
Molecular Biology
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx , New York
10461

Ajit Bhattacharyya
H2 / `176 Sarsuna Satellite Township
Sakuntala Park
Kolkata 700 061
INDIA




--
Regards,

arun bhattacharya

KINDLY USE LARGE FONT (AT LEAST 18) OTHERWISE I CAN'T READ EMAILS!
Nabaneeta Dev Sen "Bhalo-Basa" 72, Hindustan Park Kolkata – 700029

PLEASE HAVE PATIENCE, and READ THE NOTE AFTER THE POEM ENDS.

IT IS SENT BY US DOCTORS ON BEHALF OF A CHILD WITH CANCER WHO HAS WRITTEN IT

KINDLY FWD IT TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS YOU CAN, IT WILL MEAN 3 CENTS PER NAME FROM THE US CANCER SOCIETY FOT HER TREATMENT

THANK YOU

The poem has meant a lot to me

NABANEETA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot emails been forwarded, I dont like to put all addresses here, the message only taken

Thursday, November 12, 2009

English PEN : Vacancies

Vacancies

Acting Writers in Translation Programme Manager


£23-25,000, pro rata; 3 days per week; temporary contract until 31 October 2010; central London

English PEN welcomes applicants regardless of race or colour, nationality or national or ethnic origin, religion or religious belief, sex or marital status, sexual orientation, disability or age.

English PEN is the founding centre of an international writers' association, working to promote literature and freedom of speech. Its Writers in Translation programme pursues this vision with the support of Bloomberg and Arts Council England. We award grants to publishers of high-quality fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama in English translation. The titles are selected by a committee of experts, meeting twice a year to consider submissions from leading publishers. In the five years since the programme began awarding grants, we have supported some of the world's greatest writers, facilitating authors' visits to the UK, building new audiences for international literature, and establishing translated literature in the literary mainstream. We have also launched the PEN Atlas of World Literature, which complements this work by creating an online community to promote world literature.

Due to a period of extended leave, we have an opportunity for a literature professional to join English PEN's team on a temporary basis until 31 October 2010, delivering the work of the Writers in Translation programme, overseeing the development of the PEN Atlas, and creating activities to mark the 5th anniversary of Writers in Translation. The Acting Programme Manager will work with publishers to ensure that their titles reach the widest possible audience, through creative promotional campaigns. This is a three day per week role, joining English PEN's staff of eight, based at the new Free Word Centre in London's Clerkenwell. Although it is a temporary post, this is an opportunity for the right person to make an impact at a period of activity and expansion for the Writers in Translation programme.

Job summary

• To oversee the development and delivery of the Writers in Translation programme of English PEN, including responsibility for fundraising and related projects such as the PEN Atlas; the 5th anniversary celebrations; and English PEN's contribution to the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
• To communicate the programme's work to publishers, translators, funders, English PEN members and the media, where appropriate.
• To be a key member of the English PEN staff team, collaborating on projects and events management.

Responsibilities

• Obtaining high level submissions from English publishers
• Working with an editorial committee that assesses and evaluates the submissions to the programme
• Enabling the committee to make its decisions
• Maintaining a strong relationship with our funders at Bloomberg and Arts Council England
• Assisting publishers in designing and carrying out the promotion and marketing of the titles
• Disseminating sample translations and readers' reports via a regular bulletin to publishers
• Minuting the committee meetings and sending out minutes to the steering committee
• Writing articles about the programme's activities where necessary, and keeping current the WiT section of the English PEN web site (www.englishpen.org).
• Overseeing the development of the PEN Atlas of World Literature
• Managing the Writers in Translation programme fifth anniversary activities
• Recruiting and managing the work of interns for the Writers in Translation programme
• Representing English PEN and the Writers in Translation programme at relevant conferences and seminars
• Carrying out internet research on titles, authors, and translation policy in the British publishing industry
• Developing Writers in Translation activities and policy in consultation with the Director and the Chair of the steering committee
• Ensuring that the Director and Board are well informed as to the work of the Writers in Translation programme
• Producing regular reports for the Newsletter and Board
• Any other duties as may from time to time be deemed necessary by the Director and Board of English PEN

Experience and skills

The successful candidate may have experience in publishing, literature development or other arts promotion work in the voluntary or public sector. They will be:

• Passionate about international literature;
• Passionate about building audiences for international literature;
• Interested in other cultures;
• Eager to promote new writing from unheard voices;
• Familiar with web 2.0 technology and keen to explore its potential;
• A great communicator, both in writing and verbally;
• Calm and professional under pressure;
• Able to work as part of a team and with a range of partners;
• Flexible and extremely well organised;
• Keenly interested in English PEN's wider work for literature and free speech.

To apply

Please send a cover letter (with ref: Writers in Translation in the subject line) and your CV to Amy Oliver: amy@englishpen.org, by 5pm on Wednesday 25th November 2009. Interviews will be held in central London in early December. Successful applicants should be available to start work in January 2010.

We offer


• A fulfilling job, working on a range of challenging issues with a diverse team based in an exciting new centre for literature, literacy and free speech.
• Flexible working.
• 25 days Annual Leave (pro rata) per annum plus public holidays.

Salary: £23-25,000, pro rata, depending on experience, three days per week, until 31 October 2009

Please note: only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.


Voluteers


We are always looking for volunteers to help out with our regular programme of Writers in Public events so do fill out one of our online volunteer forms if you are interested in finding out more.

Source : http://www.englishpen.org/aboutenglishpen/vacancies/

PURPLE RONNIE'S STAND-UP POETRY CLUB

PURPLE RONNIE'S STAND-UP POETRY CLUB
Full details on the end of this link.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4944489901&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=157106518617&ref=mf

A night of poetry's legends. And Luke Wright.

JOHN HEGLEY - Hailing from Luton, this singer, poet and stand-up is an Edinburgh Festival stalwart who's performed all over the world for over twenty years. He now has nine books, two albums, many a BBC Radio series and one mug to his name. He has appeared on countless TV shows, and been best described as having a "beat poet's style and philosopher's grace." He is without doubt, one of Britain's best-loved entertainers.

ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER - Inspired by the spirit and ethos of punk his themes are topical, his words hard-hitting and his politics is unashamedly radical. He is able to simultaneously make you roar with laughter and seethe with political indignation. His cult career has produced 14 albums, many a John Peel Session and an appearance on Melody Maker's cover.

LUKE WRIGHT - As ever, your host is this young fellow. Described as "the best young performance poet around" by The Observer, Luke is also host and curator of Latitude's Poetry Arena and resident poet on Radio 4's Saturday Live. His Channel Four Valentine's Day special attracted over a million viewers.

TICKETS £8 - call Ticketweb on 08444 77 1000 or available online here: http://bit.ly/Uvr9d

This message I got from face book.
All credits and responsinility pinned on source

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4944489901#/inbox/?folder=[fb]messages&page=1&tid=1240487061836

PURPLE RONNIE'S STAND-UP POETRY CLUB

I got a message in my facebook inbox, I think this message may do some good for writers.




Thursday, 19 November 2009
Time: 19:30 - 22:30
Location: Monto Water Rats
328 Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross WC1X 8BZ
London, United Kingdom

Full details on the end of this link.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4944489901&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=157106518617&ref=mf

PURPLE RONNIE'S STAND-UP POETRY CLUB

A night of poetry's legends. And Luke Wright.

JOHN HEGLEY - Hailing from Luton, this singer, poet and stand-up is an Edinburgh Festival stalwart who's performed all over the world for over twenty years. He now has nine books, two albums, many a BBC Radio series and one mug to his name. He has appeared on countless TV shows, and been best described as having a "beat poet's style and philosopher's grace." He is without doubt, one of Britain's best-loved entertainers.

ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER - Inspired by the spirit and ethos of punk his themes are topical, his words hard-hitting and his politics is unashamedly radical. He is able to simultaneously make you roar with laughter and seethe with political indignation. His cult career has produced 14 albums, many a John Peel Session and an appearance on Melody Maker's cover.

LUKE WRIGHT - As ever, your host is this young fellow. Described as "the best young performance poet around" by The Observer, Luke is also host and curator of Latitude's Poetry Arena and resident poet on Radio 4's Saturday Live. His Channel Four Valentine's Day special attracted over a million viewers.

TICKETS £8 - call Ticketweb on 08444 77 1000 or available online here: http://bit.ly/Uvr9d

All credits and responsibility pinned on the source.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

American PEN News : Nov. 9, Breakout: Voices from Inside‏

SAVE THE DATE

THURSDAY, Nov. 12:
A Tribute to Marie Ponsot


MONDAY, Nov. 30:
Conversation: Javier Marías & Paul Auster


WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2:
Beyond Margins Award Celebration




PEN American Center
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012
Tel. (212) 334-1660
Fax. (212) 334-2181
www.pen.org

If you are interested in volunteering for PEN events, please contact Elizabeth Weinstein at elizabeth@pen.org.

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please click here.

Breakout: Voices from Inside

When: Monday, November 9
Where: WNYC Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, NYC
What time: 7 p.m.

With Mary Gaitskill, Eric Bogosian, John Turturro, Patricia Smith, Jamal Joseph, Lemon Andersen, Sean Wilsey, and others

Tickets: Collaborator: $75/Friend: $50

Collaborator ticket covers the expenses of one-on-one mentoring services between a PEN Member and an incarcerated man or woman for one year. This premier ticket includes the best views and a reception following the program.

Friend ticket covers the postage and printing costs to provide eight incarcerated men and women with a free copy of PEN’s Handbook for Writers in Prison. This ticket includes a reception following the program.



PEN Members and friends will read the award-winning work from PEN’s Prison Writing Program. Breakout: Voices from Inside, the Program’s second annual benefit reading and reception, will feature readings by Mary Gaitskill, Eric Bogosian, John Turturro, Patricia Smith, Jamal Joseph, Lemon Andersen, and others. As an installment of WNYC’s signature series “The NEXT New York Conversation,” this event will be broadcast and live-streamed, allowing incarcerated men and women with radio and/or internet access to listen to the event and join our audience.

For more than 30 years, PEN’s Prison Writing Program has been dedicated to helping make the harsh realities of American imprisonment part of our social justice dialogue. PEN’s Program has also been on the front-lines of prison reform, helping inmates in federal, state, and local penitentiaries cope with life behind bars, gain skills, and have a voice while they are there. Breakout: Voices from Inside will help raise much-needed funds to enable our program to continue its most important mission into the future—helping incarcerated men and women to see themselves in a new way: as writers.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

United Kingdom: Government Begins Decriminalisation of Defamation

18 October 2009

United Kingdom: Government Begins Decriminalisation of Defamation, Concerns Remain for Northern Ireland

ARTICLE 19, English PEN and Index on Censorship welcome the UK government’s drive to decriminalise defamation. However, we are deeply concerned that the proposed amendments do not abolish the offence of ‘blasphemous libel’ in Northern Ireland.

Led by Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw MP and Lord Bach, the newly released amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill will repeal the criminal offences of sedition and seditious libel, defamatory libel, and obscene libel in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

ARTICLE 19, English Pen and Index on Censorship are campaigning for the decriminalisation of defamation and repeal of blasphemy offences in the UK and around the world and strongly welcome the amendments.

Evan Harris MP, an ARTICLE 19 Board Member, who has led the campaign for decriminalisation within the UK legislature, says: “I welcome this repeal which I hope will show the way forward for many other jurisdictions which not only have these unjust and unjustifiable laws, but which actually use them to censor and persecute writers and journalists.”

However the three organisations remain deeply concerned that instead of repealing all criminal offences of libel, the offence of blasphemous libel in Northern Ireland remains.

The historical offence of blasphemous libel is entirely incompatible with democratic ideals. In the past it has been abused to protect religions, religious ideas and religious leaders from legitimate criticism.

“We call on Members of Parliament to introduce further amendments in advance of the 26 October debate on the Bill. They should not deny Northern Ireland full protection for freedom of expression. This ground breaking step will be tainted if such a derogation is permitted.”

Lord Lester, Liberal Democrat Peer and Vice President of English PEN who will table the amendment in the House of Lords, comments: “I welcome the amendments but I hope before the Lords debate, the Government will reconsider their decision to retain the offence of blasphemous libel in Northern Ireland. That would create an arbitrary and divisive outcome threatening free speech and freedom of religion. God no more needs to be protected by criminal law in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain.”

Criminal defamation has not been used in the UK for a number of years, but its “chilling effect” remains. Moreover, states around the world justify their persistent use of criminal defamation according to the example set by the UK.

In many countries, criminal defamation laws are abused by the powerful to limit criticism and to stifle public debate. The threat of harsh criminal sanctions, especially imprisonment, exerts a profound chilling effect on freedom of expression.


NOTES TO EDITORS:

• For more information please contact: Oliver Spencer, ARTICLE 19 oliver@article19.org, +44 (0) 7837 833 893, Robert Sharp, English PEN, robert@englishpen.org, +44 (0) 020 7713 0023, Jo Glanville, Index on Censorship, jo@indexoncensorship.org, +44 (0) 20 7278 2313.
• To see more details of defamation and its effects around the world, please see ARTICLE 19’s Global Maps at: www.article19.org/advocacy/defamationmap/map/?dataSet=defamation_legislation
• Index on Censorship is an organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting freedom of speech through its publications, international projects, events, campaigns and website

PEN American Center ; UPCOMING EVENTS. Oct. 09

Monday, October 26:
PEN America 11 Launch Party


Where: Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St., NYC
What time: 6:30–8:30 p.m.

With Paul Auster, Roxana Robinson, and others

Free and open to the public

>> See event details


Thursday, October 29:
Bearing Witness in Chechnya: The Legacy of Natalia Estemirova


Where: Proshansky Auditorium, CUNY Graduate School, 365 Fifth Ave., NYC
What time: 7 p.m.

With Salman Rushdie, Michael Arena, Keith Gessen, Tanya Lokshina, Elena Milashina, and Zarema Mukusheva

Free and open to the public

>> See event details


Monday, November 9:
Breakout: Voices from Inside


Where: WNYC Greene Space, 44 Charlton St., NYC
What time: 7 p.m.

With Mary Gaitskill, Eric Bogosian, John Turturro, Patricia Smith, and others

Tickets: Collaborator: $75/Friend: $50

>> See event details



--------------------------------x--------------------------

ADVOCACY NEWS

Writers Press for Accountability on Torture
Audio, manuscripts, and photos from Reckoning with Torture: Memos and Testimonies from the "War on Terror" are now available online at PEN.org. Listen to Don DeLillo, A.M. Homes, George Saunders, and others read from recently disclosed documents, legal memorandums, and first-hand accounts of government abuse. >> More

More Advocacy News:

Book Groups Seek Meaningful Reader Privacy Protection in Patriot Act Reauthorization
PEN Applauds Passage of Congressional Resolution for Liu Xiaobo
PEN Protests Exclusion From U.S. of German Publisher and PEN Member


UPCOMING EVENTS


Monday, October 26:
PEN America 11: Make Believe Launch Party

Celebrate "make believe"—and writers who make us believe in the worlds of their own creation—with PEN America, PEN's award-winning literary journal. Join recent contributors—including Cynthia Cruz, Said Sayrafiezadeh, and Lynne Tillman—to toast our newest issue, Make Believe; Paul Auster and Roxana Robinson will read. >> More

Thursday, October 29:
Bearing Witness in Chechnya: The Legacy of Natalia Estemirova

Salman Rushdie, Keith Gessen, and others will gather for a night of readings and conversations to honor the legacy of Natalia Estemirova—the award-winning human rights activist and journalist murdered on July 15, 2009—while calling attention to issues of freedom of expression in Russia. >> More

Monday, November 9:
Breakout: Voices from Inside

PEN’s Prison Writing Program will host its second annual benefit reading and reception, featuring readings by Mary Gaitskill, Eric Bogosian, John Turturro, and others. This event will be broadcast and live-streamed, allowing incarcerated men and women with radio and/or internet access to listen to the event. >> More


NEW AT PEN.ORG

Sneak Preview: PEN America 11: Make Believe
Alesksandar Hemon, Cynthia Ozick, Lynne Tillman, and others imagine books they wish they (or someone else) had written; Sigrid Nunez invents an orphanage full of “rapture children”; and Rivka Galchen pretends to be Lydia Davis and Peter Altenberg. Plus new fiction from Brian Evenson; poetry by Christian Hawkey, Marie Ponsot, and Liu Xiaobo—and much more.

>> Sneak Preview
>> Online Forum: tell us what you believe about books—or describe a book you wish existed

2009 Brooklyn Book Festival Podcasts

At this year's Brooklyn Book Festival, PEN produced a series of podcast conversations featuring writers interviewing writers, including Sara Khalili, Libba Bray, and Vadim Yarmolinets.

>> Listen to the conversations

Vietnam: Dissident writers sentenced

Vietnam: Dissident writers sentenced

Published: October 20, 2009

English PEN is outraged by the sentences handed down to nine dissident writers in recent days for 'spreading propaganda' against the government. The sentences range from two to six years. All were first detained in September 2008, and include the well known novelist and journalist Nguyen Xuan Ngia, leader of the banned pro-democracy group Bloc 8406, and editor of the underground democracy journal To Quoc (Fatherland).


Writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, poet Nguyen Van Tinh, human rights defender Nguyen Kim Nhan, poet Nguyen Van Tuc, student and internet writer Ngo Quynh, and writer Nguyen Manh Son were charged with conducting anti-government propaganda under article 88 of Vietnam's penal code for their pro-democracy writings and activities, in particular their membership of the banned pro-democracy group Bloc 8406. They were convicted to sentences ranging from two to six years following a two-day trial in Hanoi that concluded on 9 October. In 2006, Bloc 8406, a coalition of political parties and organisations campaigning for political reform, created the "Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam". The group's name refers to the date that the manifesto was created. Originally signed by 118 dissidents, the number of signatories grew into the thousands. Most notable is Nguyen Van Ly, a priest and writer arrested in February 2007 and who was sentenced to eight years for his involvement in Bloc 8406.

The six writers sentenced on 9 October 2009 are amongst dozens of activists to have been arrested since September 2008 as part of an ongoing crackdown on peaceful dissent. The group's leader, writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, received the heaviest sentence. The indictment, dated 3 July 2009, cited fifty-seven pieces written by Nguyen Xuan Nghia from 2007 until his arrest in 2008, including poetry, literature, short stories and articles, which allegedly sought to "insult the Communist Party of Vietnam, distort the situation of the country, slander and disgrace the country's leaders, demand a pluralistic and multiparty system ... and incite and attract other people into the opposition movement."

For further information go to:


Human Rights Watch article

IFEX alerts and reports on freedom of expression in Vietnam
For the BBC's country profile


Please send appeals:

- Expressing alarm at the ongoing crackdown on dissident in Vietnam, in which at least nine writers have been handed down lengthy prison sentences for their peaceful dissident writings and activities;
- Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained for the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is a signatory.

Appeals to be sent to:

President, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
His Excellency Nguyên Minh Triêt
C/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Hanoi
Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Please note that there are no fax numbers available for the Vietnamese authorities, so you may wish to ask the diplomatic representative for Vietnam in your country to forward your appeals. It would also be advantageous to ask your country's diplomatic representatives in Vietnam to intervene in the case.

Vietnamese Embassy, London, United Kingdom

His Excellency Tran Quang Hoan

Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

12 - 14 Victoria Road

W8 5RD

United Kingdom

British Embassy, Hanoi, Vietnam

His Excellency Mr Mark Kent

Central Building
4th floor
31 Hai Ba Trung
Hanoi

Vietnam

behanoi@hn.vnn.vn

Fax: ( 84) (4)3936 0561 (for Embassy in general)