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:
Cameroon - Lapiro de Mbanga - a singer-song writer in prison since April 2008 for his lyrics and criticism of the government
Iran - Maziar Bahari - an editor imprisoned then released on bail for his part in the June democracy demonstrations
China - Liu Xiaobo -a literary critic and activist arrested in December last year and still detained without trial
Russia - Natalia Estemirova - a journalist and human rights defender brutally murdered in Chechnya in July
Mexico - Miguel Ángel Gutiérrez Ávila - an anthropologist, author and indigenous rights activist murdered over a year ago
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
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