PEN International Congress in Manila
Credit to Author: THE MANILA TIMES| Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2019 16:17:46 +0000
FOR the first time since its inception in 1921, PEN International, a worldwide organization of writers that seeks to promote literature and defend freedom of expression, will hold its 85th annual congress in Manila from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, 2019, with the Philippine Center of International PEN (Philippine PEN) as host.
National Artist for Literature and Philippine PEN founder F. Sionil José said the event was “an occasion for us to show writers from different parts of the world our treasures.”
The congress is PEN International’s main meeting, in which delegates from all over the world gather to decide on key organizational and policy standpoints. This year’s theme is “Speaking in Tongues: Literary Freedoms and Indigenous Languages,” which dovetails with the United Nations’ (UN) declaration of 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages.
Around 200 writers from more than 100 countries are expected to arrive in the country to discuss indigenous writing, linguistic diversity and multiculturalism. They will also tackle threats to freedom of expression posed by hate speech, financial crisis in media, fake news and repressive regimes.
Keynote speakers are Fernand de Varennes, special rapporteur for minority issues at the UN, National Artist for Literature Resil Mojares and famed Indonesian writer Eka Kurniawan. National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario will deliver the welcome address for the public panels of the congress. National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera will also grace the event, and prominent foreign and local delegates will also participate as speakers.
Besides the main assemblies and meetings to be held at De La Salle University (DLSU), there will also be several events open to the public. They are the “Free the Word! Manila: Poetry, Peace, and Performances,” to be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines; speeches and panel fora at the National Museum of the Philippines; Artists Congress at DLSU; and outreach activities at various universities in Manila.
Philippine PEN’s principal government partner in organizing the 85th congress is the National Book Development Board.
The 98-year-old PEN International is the oldest international literary organization in the world. Aside from promoting literature and defending freedom of expression, it also champions human rights. It is headquartered in London and currently led by Mexican-American author Jennifer Clement, the group’s first female president.
PEN International’s past presidents include Nobel Prize winners John Galsworthy, Francois Mauriac, Maurice Maeterlinck, Heinrich Boll and Mario Vargas Llosa. With a membership of 20,000 writers, PEN International has developed a community of writers worldwide through its 150 centers around the globe, among which is the Philippine PEN, founded in 1958.
For more details, visit penmanila2019.ph.