Young Writers Committee

The Young Writers Committee at PEN International is a collaboration between several PEN centres, including PEN Canada, and with young writers from across the world, the Tomorrow Club engages youth during deepening divisions, across borders and towards community and solidarity. It welcomes young and emerging writers to get involved in its network and other PEN activities. It also has historical roots, as it revives an idea first started in 1917 PEN’s founder, Catherine Amy Dawson Scott. This revival is led by Ege Dundar, a writer, activist, and PEN International’s youngest board member.

At a time when civic spaces are shrinking and threats to free expression are increasing, it aims to build bridges across divides, creating platforms for young voices to be heard and supported. Inspired by PEN International’s legacy and PEN Norway’s Tomorrow Club, a network amplifying young voices, the Young Writers Committee believes in the power of writing to drive change, connecting people across borders and generations.

The Young Writers Committee was officially established at PEN International’s 90th Congress. As PEN International’s first new Standing Committee in 35 years, it is now actively developing initiatives to enhance youth collaboration, amplify young voices, and increase the impact of PEN International and the PEN movement, alongside Tomorrow Club, its platform spotlighting young storytellers across borders. A core steering group of 10 young representatives—five men and five women, two from each region, and all under the age of 35—is spearheading these efforts. Drawing on more than a century of PEN International’s legacy, the Committee is dedicated to strengthening the PEN movement in the face of growing global challenges, including transnational repression, deepening societal divisions, and mounting threats to free expression. Its establishment marks a historic step forward, ensuring that young voices play a vital role in shaping PEN International’s future.