PEN Canada envisions a world where
writers are free to write,
readers are free to read,
and freedom of expression prevails
DEADLINE EXTENDED! PEN Canada is now accepting English language submissions for the RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award. The annual award aims to encourage new writing and to provide a space where young, unpublished writers can submit short stories, creative non-fiction, journalism, and poetry. A jury of distinguished PEN Canada members will judge the shortlisted submissions […]
Turkey: Global appeal marks 1000 days behind bars for Nedim Türfent IPI, PEN International and MLSA collects signatures for a joint letter to support Nedim February 5, 2019 – Over 650 writers, journalists, publishers, artists and activists are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of news editor, reporter and poet Nedim Türfent. Today marks 1000 days […]
PEN strongly condemns the assassination of Alaa Mashthob Abboud, a well-known and award-winning Iraqi novelist who was shot dead on February 2, 2019 by an unknown armed group.
By Paola Gómez Restrepo, member of PEN Canada’s Writer-in-Exile Network and was the 2015 PEN Writer-in Residence at George Brown College. I’d heard about the Caravan. I knew it had left Honduras on October 12, and grown dramatically as it passed through El Salvador and Guatemala. I waited for the stories from this exodus, hoping I’d […]
Rashad Ramazanov and other Azeri dissidents are joining Mehman Huseynov in a hunger strike.
From PEN International January 10, 2019 – The withdrawal of Nayantara Sahgal’s invitation to deliver the inaugural address at the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan is indicative of the rising tide of intolerance limiting free expression in the country, said PEN International today. Literary festivals should be a forum for free debate and the exchange […]
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani (middle) presents the award to Oleg Sentsov’s cousin Natalia Kaplan and his lawyer Dmitriy Dinze From PEN International Today, Ukrainian writer and filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was awarded the prestigious European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in Siberia on trumped-up terrorism charges, Oleg […]
President Enrique Peña Nieto’s six years in office have been the most violent on record for Mexico’s journalists.
From PEN International: PEN International is deeply saddened by the passing of our friend, colleague and fearless defender of free expression, Judith Rodríguez. PEN International President, Jennifer Clement, said: ‘The news of Judith’s death is not just heartbreaking for PEN and its members, but also for me personally. I have lost a dear friend and confidant. Judith […]
PEN Canada pays tribute to the life and work of Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson in a conversation with Rick Mercer. Join PEN Canada as we honour literary power couple Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson, founding members and past presidents of our centre. We’ll engage them in conversation about their early days with PEN — they […]
Finding the Words: Writers on Inspiration, Desire, War, Celebrity, Exile, and Breaking the Rules