609:
banner of “Resist and
Reimagine.” The theme captured the political division and discord apparent in the US and around the world, as well as the hope, energy, and activism shown by people coming together in powerful new ways to resist the encroachments on rights, liberties, and values. More than 200 writers, poets, artists, and thinkers representing 50 nationalities gathered in New York City for over 90 conversations, readings, debates, and discussions celebrating the best of the year’s literature and covering many different kinds of resistances—the internal and the external, the political and the personal—in different cultures, identities, and communities. The festival featured new streams of programming: one, American Voices, focused on American writers addressing the complex and polarizing issues in the US; another, Next Generation Now, aimed to nurture young people as agents of change. Festival participants included celebrated figures such as
487:
literature and the arts to confront new challenges to free expression and human rights—issues that have been core to PEN America’s mission since its founding. During a historic moment of both unprecedented attacks on core freedoms and the emergence of new forms of resistance, the festival offered a platform for a global community of writers, artists, and thinkers to connect with a concerned public to fight back against bigotry, hatred, and isolationism. The event featured
608:
In 2017, PEN America recruited Chip Rolley, the former artistic director of Sydney
Writers Festival, to take the position of Senior Director of Literary Programs and Director of World Voices Festival. The 2018 Festival featured an unprecedented breadth of literary and cultural luminaries under the
486:
Organized by festival curatorial chair Rob
Spillman, the PEN World Voices Festival 2017 focused on vital issues of the political period, with a special focus on the restive relationship between gender and power. Taking place in New York City May 1–7, 2017, the weeklong festival used the lens of
764:
PEN America has canceled its World Voices festival after twenty-eight of the 61 nominated authors withdrew their books from consideration in the annual PEN America Awards ceremony as they condemned
America's Pen for failing to strongly condemn what they called the genocide in Palestine. The
380:. The Festival also extended its reach during this time with satellite events in Chicago, Portland, Albany, Pittsburgh, Miami, L.A., and other cities. An extensive program of year-round events was introduced including the first public appearance of scholar
384:
since the State
Department's ban on his exclusion from the United States. Ramadan's appearance took place at a sold-out event on April 8, 2010, at the Great Hall of Cooper Union in New York City, and was organized in collaboration with the ACLU.
457:
to explore the boundaries between music and literature. Festival-goers participated in a literary safari, trolling through the halls of
Westbeth, a West Village artists community, where they experienced readings by a range of authors, including
1159:
38:, and Michael Roberts and was launched in 2005. The festival includes events, readings, conversations, and debates that showcase international literature and new writers. The festival is produced by
1194:
1267:
1202:
360:
for an event at the 92Y called The Three
Musketeers. During this period, the popular Translation Slam was introduced. The PEN Cabaret increased its cache with guests such as
765:
cancellation comes days after the organization canceled the 2024 annual awards festival. The festival was supposed to be held on May 8 in New York City and Los
Angeles.
1379:
170:
offers audio downloads and photos from select events on their website. Issue 7 of the PEN America literary journal also published selections from the 2005 programs.
1481:
1151:
1471:
1081:
1451:
1343:
1320:
54:
The inaugural event was held in New York City from April 18 to April 25, 2005. Participating authors came from 45 countries and included:
985:
1476:
1349:
1407:
900:
1461:
875:
673:, and many others. The concluding lecture was delivered by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who then engaged in conversation with
336:. This period saw great growth in the Festival's attendance and reach with guests including Nobel prize-winners such as
332:
was recruited from
Australia to be the festival director and organized the third through seventh Festivals with founder
1401:
943:
811:
1466:
948:
938:
932:
849:
790:
178:
The second World Voices
Festival was held in New York City from April 26 to April 30, 2006. The Festival theme was
474:
opened the festival with a procession of giant bibliomorphic puppets, illuminated objects, and projections on the
1332:
1240:
1221:
1371:
978:
186:. The Festival featured 137 writers from 41 countries in 57 programs. International participants included:
1456:
1363:
1073:
1049:
262:
46:
that works to advance literature, promote free expression, and foster international literary fellowship.
397:, PEN World Voice Festival 2012 took place throughout New York City from April 30 to May 6 and featured
1486:
1413:
1286:
471:
438:
1248:
662:
239:
103:
1089:
674:
492:
467:
199:
79:
55:
1491:
1387:
1041:
971:
752:
The Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture: Hillary Rodham Clinton with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
1355:
1312:
1017:
43:
1025:
215:
927:
1105:
1057:
8:
1143:
67:
1175:
1065:
1033:
426:
349:
251:
1097:
496:
147:
1394:
1304:
1167:
670:
666:
646:
463:
434:
418:
373:
243:
618:
610:
516:
508:
450:
398:
337:
320:
PEN America offers audio downloads and photos from select events on its website.
219:
207:
191:
410:
994:
654:
520:
442:
394:
357:
333:
329:
203:
195:
83:
71:
31:
265:
entitled "Faith & Reason," which featured participants from the festival.
1445:
953:
650:
642:
626:
430:
402:
381:
369:
365:
345:
231:
59:
23:
504:
488:
459:
454:
446:
406:
223:
95:
35:
922:
853:
824:
782:
658:
630:
622:
614:
524:
512:
422:
414:
377:
361:
353:
341:
258:
235:
227:
211:
187:
167:
91:
87:
63:
39:
27:
901:"PEN America cancels festival after authors drop out in support of Gaza"
1124:
638:
634:
500:
475:
99:
710:
Laurie Anderson and Chelsea Manning on Art, Technology, and Activism
75:
963:
958:
1009:
304:
Idols and Insults: Writing, Religion, and Freedom of Expression
183:
393:
Organized by festival director Laszlo Jakab Orsos and founder
247:
179:
124:
Crossing Borders: Universal Themes in Children's Literature
1380:
The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, the Ayatollah, and the West
719:
Kexaptun: Poetry in New York’s Newest and Oldest Languages
689:
Dave Eggers and Mokhtar Alkanshali: Good to the Last Drop
20:
The PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature
545:
Gender, Power, and Authoritarianism in the Dystopian Age
277:
Honor Killings: When Families Commit Murder to Save Face
876:"Hillary Clinton to Speak at PEN World Voices Festival"
850:"PEN American Center - World Voices 2006 Media Library"
1160:
Step Across This Line: Collected Nonfiction 1992–2002
917:
310:
Conversation: Ayaan Hirsi Ali & Philip Gourevitch
759:
551:
Arthur Miller Lecture: Masha Gessen and Samantha Bee
1144:
Imaginary Homelands: Essays and Criticism 1981–1991
734:
After the Storm: Puerto Rico, Poetry and Resistance
133:
The Power of the Pen: Does Writing Change Anything?
569:Power of the Arts: From Propaganda to Free Speech
22:is an annual week-long literary festival held in
1443:
959:Interviews & blog from the Wild River Review
578:Monkey Business: Japan/America Writers' Dialogue
142:Conversation: Hanan al-Shaykh and Salman Rushdie
1482:Annual events in Los Angeles County, California
163:Czesław Miłosz and the Conscience of Literature
1082:Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights
316:Conversation: Amartya Sen & Salman Rushdie
118:Confronting the Worst: Writing and Catastrophe
979:
292:The Limits of Tolerance? Multiculturalism Now
1321:Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder
584:A Woman's Place: In Food, Power and Writing
437:. Highlights included a performance at the
280:Faith and Politics in America and Elsewhere
115:Conversation: Chico Buarque and Paul Auster
986:
972:
873:
874:Schuessler, Jennifer (27 February 2018).
680:
530:
323:
268:
257:Immediately following the 2006 festival,
109:
755:The M Word: Hasan Minhaj and Wajahat Ali
603:
481:
388:
295:Just the Facts: Truth & the Internet
1472:Literary festivals in the United States
1350:1989 firebombing of the Riverdale Press
898:
566:The Female Flaneur: Reclaiming the City
274:Tell That Story Again: Writing Myth Now
139:Africa and the World: The Writer’s Role
1444:
1305:The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey
1198:(with Tim Supple and David Tushingham)
954:Bill Moyers' Faith & Reason series
793:from the original on December 14, 2019
967:
825:"Journal of a Prisoner - PEN America"
1452:2005 establishments in New York City
933:Rushdie Brings PEN Festival to Close
173:
49:
944:PEN World Voices 2005 Media Library
939:PEN World Voices 2006 Media Library
935:, New York Times Blog (May 7, 2012)
686:Resist and Reimagine: Opening Night
590:Shattering Taboos to Change Culture
548:Pen vs. Sword: Satire vs. the State
13:
1268:The Vintage Book of Indian Writing
993:
557:Queer Representation and the Media
539:Exposure: Politics, Sex, and Power
14:
1503:
1206:(with Tim Supple and Simon Reade)
911:
899:Oladipo, Gloria (26 April 2024).
812:Photo Gallery & Audio Library
760:Cancellation of the 2024 festival
692:No Country for Young Muslim Women
283:Faith & Reason: Writers Speak
581:Literary Quest: Tenement Edition
1477:Annual events in New York City
928:PEN World Voices Festival 2018
892:
867:
842:
817:
805:
775:
542:Portraying Gay Male Life Today
261:hosted a television series on
30:. The festival was founded by
1:
1241:Haroun and the Sea of Stories
1195:Haroun and the Sea of Stories
768:
554:Forbidden: Too Punk/Too Queer
352:, who appeared on stage with
289:Translation and Globalization
121:Don Quixote at 400: A Tribute
1372:A Brief History of Blasphemy
852:. 2006-10-11. Archived from
7:
1402:The Ground Beneath Her Feet
1074:The Enchantress of Florence
1050:The Ground Beneath Her Feet
783:"PEN World Voices Festival"
596:Forbidden: Too Much in Love
301:Revolution: A User’s Manual
10:
1508:
1462:Festivals in New York City
713:An Evening with Roxane Gay
707:Borders of our Imagination
472:Processional Arts Workshop
439:Metropolitan Museum of Art
298:51%: Women Write the World
160:Voices from the New Europe
1423:
1331:
1296:
1278:
1259:
1249:Luka and the Fire of Life
1232:
1213:
1186:
1135:
1116:
1001:
923:PEN World Voices Festival
749:America Real and Imagined
704:Where Do We Go from Here?
1467:Festivals in Los Angeles
1364:The Blasphemers' Banquet
722:The Trick of Translation
701:Cry, the Beloved Country
675:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
575:Forbidden: Too Liberated
572:Gender, Power, and Faith
493:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
200:Hans Magnus Enzensberger
154:The Post-National Writer
56:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
1388:International Guerillas
725:Reflections on Violence
593:Forbidden: Too Desirous
1356:An Essay on Censorship
1313:Joseph Anton: A Memoir
681:Selected 2018 Programs
619:Hillary Rodham Clinton
531:Selected 2017 Programs
324:World Voices 2007-2011
269:Selected 2006 Programs
110:Selected 2005 Programs
44:nonprofit organization
737:Still, They Persisted
604:PEN World Voices 2018
482:PEN World Voices 2017
389:PEN World Voices 2012
313:Suitable for Children
1344:Cat Stevens comments
1042:The Moor's Last Sigh
746:It Can’t Happen Here
560:Girl-Powered Fiction
127:Literature and Power
1222:Midnight's Children
1203:Midnight's Children
1018:Midnight's Children
743:Life During Wartime
728:Handmaid in America
536:United Against Hate
157:The Way We Love Now
80:Ryszard Kapuściński
68:Breyten Breytenbach
1457:2005 in literature
1334:The Satanic Verses
1225:(with Deepa Mehta)
1176:Languages of Truth
1152:Homeless by Choice
1066:Shalimar the Clown
1034:The Satanic Verses
880:The New York Times
427:Michael Cunningham
350:Mario Vargas Llosa
252:Jeanette Winterson
130:International Noir
1487:PEN International
1439:
1438:
1117:Story collections
695:Playing with Fire
663:Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
599:The Poetry of War
527:, and many more.
497:Carrie Brownstein
307:HOWL for 50 Years
286:Exiles in America
174:World Voices 2006
148:Believer Magazine
104:Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
50:World Voices 2005
16:Literary festival
1499:
1431:PEN World Voices
1395:Hitoshi Igarashi
1233:Children's books
1168:The East Is Blue
1090:The Golden House
988:
981:
974:
965:
964:
905:
904:
896:
890:
889:
887:
886:
871:
865:
864:
862:
861:
846:
840:
839:
837:
836:
821:
815:
809:
803:
802:
800:
798:
779:
740:New York Stories
671:Colson Whitehead
647:Ryszard Krynicki
468:Peter Schneider.
464:Giannina Braschi
441:that paired the
435:Colson Whitehead
419:Giannina Braschi
374:Natalie Merchant
136:Writers and Iraq
1507:
1506:
1502:
1501:
1500:
1498:
1497:
1496:
1442:
1441:
1440:
1435:
1419:
1327:
1292:
1274:
1255:
1228:
1209:
1182:
1131:
1112:
997:
992:
914:
909:
908:
903:. The Guardian.
897:
893:
884:
882:
872:
868:
859:
857:
848:
847:
843:
834:
832:
823:
822:
818:
810:
806:
796:
794:
781:
780:
776:
771:
762:
683:
611:Laurie Anderson
606:
587:Water as Weapon
563:Corrosive Power
533:
517:Gabourey Sidibe
509:Cecile Richards
484:
451:Marjane Satrapi
399:Margaret Atwood
391:
338:Nadine Gordimer
326:
271:
240:Dương Thu Hương
220:Henning Mankell
208:Ayaan Hirsi Ali
192:Margaret Atwood
176:
151:Nighttime Event
112:
52:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1505:
1495:
1494:
1492:Salman Rushdie
1489:
1484:
1479:
1474:
1469:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1433:
1427:
1425:
1421:
1420:
1418:
1417:
1411:
1405:
1398:
1392:
1384:
1376:
1368:
1360:
1352:
1347:
1340:
1338:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1325:
1317:
1309:
1300:
1298:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1290:
1282:
1280:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1272:
1263:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1254:
1253:
1245:
1236:
1234:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1226:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1199:
1190:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1172:
1164:
1156:
1148:
1139:
1137:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1120:
1118:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1110:
1102:
1094:
1086:
1078:
1070:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1014:
1005:
1003:
999:
998:
995:Salman Rushdie
991:
990:
983:
976:
968:
962:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
930:
925:
920:
913:
912:External links
910:
907:
906:
891:
866:
841:
831:. 28 July 2005
816:
804:
773:
772:
770:
767:
761:
758:
757:
756:
753:
750:
747:
744:
741:
738:
735:
732:
731:Liminal States
729:
726:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
708:
705:
702:
699:
696:
693:
690:
687:
682:
679:
655:Salman Rushdie
605:
602:
601:
600:
597:
594:
591:
588:
585:
582:
579:
576:
573:
570:
567:
564:
561:
558:
555:
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
532:
529:
521:Andrew Solomon
483:
480:
443:Kronos Quartet
395:Salman Rushdie
390:
387:
358:Salman Rushdie
334:Salman Rushdie
330:Caro Llewellyn
328:In late 2006,
325:
322:
318:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
281:
278:
275:
270:
267:
204:David Grossman
196:Gioconda Belli
175:
172:
165:
164:
161:
158:
155:
152:
143:
140:
137:
134:
131:
128:
125:
122:
119:
116:
111:
108:
84:Khaled Mattawa
72:Nuruddin Farah
51:
48:
32:Salman Rushdie
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1504:
1493:
1490:
1488:
1485:
1483:
1480:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1460:
1458:
1455:
1453:
1450:
1449:
1447:
1432:
1429:
1428:
1426:
1422:
1415:
1412:
1409:
1406:
1403:
1399:
1396:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1385:
1382:
1381:
1377:
1374:
1373:
1369:
1366:
1365:
1361:
1358:
1357:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1345:
1342:
1341:
1339:
1337:
1335:
1330:
1323:
1322:
1318:
1315:
1314:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1302:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1288:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1279:Short stories
1277:
1270:
1269:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1258:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1231:
1224:
1223:
1219:
1218:
1216:
1212:
1205:
1204:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1185:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1127:
1126:
1122:
1121:
1119:
1115:
1108:
1107:
1103:
1100:
1099:
1095:
1092:
1091:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1079:
1076:
1075:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1060:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1000:
996:
989:
984:
982:
977:
975:
970:
969:
966:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
915:
902:
895:
881:
877:
870:
856:on 2006-10-11
855:
851:
845:
830:
826:
820:
813:
808:
792:
788:
784:
778:
774:
766:
754:
751:
748:
745:
742:
739:
736:
733:
730:
727:
724:
721:
718:
716:Unlived Lives
715:
712:
709:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
684:
678:
676:
672:
668:
664:
660:
656:
652:
651:Jhumpa Lahiri
648:
644:
643:Siri Hustvedt
640:
636:
632:
628:
627:Jennifer Egan
624:
620:
616:
612:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
534:
528:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
479:
477:
473:
469:
465:
461:
456:
452:
448:
445:with writers
444:
440:
436:
432:
431:E.L. Doctorow
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
403:Jennifer Egan
400:
396:
386:
383:
382:Tariq Ramadan
379:
375:
371:
367:
366:Saul Williams
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
346:Toni Morrison
343:
339:
335:
331:
321:
315:
312:
309:
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
273:
272:
266:
264:
260:
255:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
232:Anne Provoost
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
171:
169:
162:
159:
156:
153:
150:
149:
144:
141:
138:
135:
132:
129:
126:
123:
120:
117:
114:
113:
107:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
60:Jonathan Ames
57:
47:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
24:New York City
21:
1430:
1386:
1378:
1370:
1362:
1354:
1333:
1319:
1311:
1303:
1287:In the South
1266:
1247:
1239:
1220:
1201:
1193:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1142:
1123:
1106:Victory City
1104:
1096:
1088:
1080:
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1032:
1024:
1016:
1008:
949:PEN Podcasts
894:
883:. Retrieved
879:
869:
858:. Retrieved
854:the original
844:
833:. Retrieved
828:
819:
807:
797:December 14,
795:. Retrieved
786:
777:
763:
607:
505:Masha Gessen
489:Samantha Bee
485:
478:at sundown.
460:Elias Khoury
455:Rula Jebreal
447:Tony Kushner
411:Herta MĂĽller
407:Tony Kushner
392:
370:Bill T Jones
327:
319:
256:
224:Adam Michnik
216:Elias Khoury
177:
166:
146:
96:Wole Soyinka
53:
36:Esther Allen
19:
18:
1397:(1947–1991)
1336:controversy
1271:(co-editor)
1214:Screenplays
918:PEN America
787:PEN America
667:Colm TĂłibĂn
659:Dag Solstad
631:Dave Eggers
623:Jelani Cobb
615:Paul Auster
525:Saeed Jones
513:Patti Smith
423:Martin Amis
415:Paul Auster
378:Sam Shepard
362:Patti Smith
354:Umberto Eco
342:Orhan Pamuk
259:Bill Moyers
244:Colm TĂłibĂn
236:Zadie Smith
228:Orhan Pamuk
212:Etgar Keret
188:Martin Amis
168:PEN America
92:Elif Shafak
88:Azar Nafisi
64:Paul Auster
40:PEN America
28:Los Angeles
1446:Categories
1408:Knighthood
1136:Nonfiction
1125:East, West
885:2018-10-17
860:2018-10-17
835:2018-10-17
769:References
639:Xiaolu Guo
635:Roxane Gay
1260:Anthology
1098:Quichotte
501:Teju Cole
476:High Line
100:Ali Bader
1414:Stabbing
1404:" (2000)
1289:" (2009)
791:Archived
789:. 2019.
645:,
637:,
76:Gish Jen
1424:Related
1297:Memoirs
829:pen.org
1416:(2022)
1410:(2007)
1391:(1990)
1383:(1990)
1375:(1990)
1367:(1989)
1359:(1989)
1346:(1989)
1324:(2024)
1316:(2012)
1308:(1987)
1252:(2010)
1244:(1990)
1179:(2021)
1171:(2004)
1163:(2002)
1155:(1992)
1147:(1992)
1128:(1994)
1109:(2023)
1101:(2019)
1093:(2017)
1085:(2015)
1077:(2008)
1069:(2005)
1061:(2001)
1053:(1999)
1045:(1995)
1037:(1988)
1029:(1983)
1021:(1981)
1013:(1975)
1010:Grimus
1002:Novels
698:Us Too
433:, and
376:, and
348:, and
250:, and
184:Reason
182:&
1187:Plays
1026:Shame
248:Ko Un
180:Faith
1058:Fury
799:2019
466:and
453:and
356:and
102:and
42:, a
26:and
263:PBS
1448::
878:.
827:.
785:.
677:.
669:,
665:,
661:,
657:,
653:,
649:,
641:,
633:,
629:,
625:,
621:,
617:,
613:,
523:,
519:,
515:,
511:,
507:,
503:,
499:,
495:,
491:,
470:A
462:,
449:,
429:,
425:,
421:,
417:,
413:,
409:,
405:,
401:,
372:,
368:,
364:,
344:,
340:,
254:.
246:,
242:,
238:,
234:,
230:,
226:,
222:,
218:,
214:,
210:,
206:,
202:,
198:,
194:,
190:,
145:A
106:.
98:,
94:,
90:,
86:,
82:,
78:,
74:,
70:,
66:,
62:,
58:,
34:,
1400:"
1285:"
987:e
980:t
973:v
888:.
863:.
838:.
814:.
801:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.