Welcome to Melbourne PEN. Melbourne PEN is part of International PEN, a leading voice of literature that represents writers in 101 countries. Members are united in a common concern for the art of writing and freedom of expression.

News and events

March 14 at the Wheeler Centre – Double Jeopardy - (posted on February 25, 2010)

For its first event of 2010, Melbourne PEN celebrates the work of women writers in dangerous places. Featuring readings from works by:
Taslima Nasrin (Bangladesh)
Lydia Cacio  (Mexico)
Philo Ikonya (Kenya)
Irina Ratushinskaya (Russia)
Read by Kate Holden, Paddy O’Reilly, Toni Jordan, Judith Rodriguez
Introduction by Cynthia Troup.
While the event is free, bookings are strongly recommended. Bookings can be made through [...]

Award for Wajeha Al-Huwaider - (posted on January 19, 2010)

We are very pleased to announce that Melbourne PEN Honorary Member Wajeha Al-Huwaider has received the inaugural MEMRI Martin Lurther King Jnr Reformist Award.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) will from this year recognise a reformist in the Arab world whose efforts to advance the rights of people in their societies embody the courageous [...]

Mourning the loss of valued PEN members in Haiti - (posted on January 15, 2010)

We are very sad to learn that Haitian PEN President Georges Anglade and his wife Mireille Neptune have been killed in the earthquake in Haiti.
The Haitian Centre is one of the newest in PEN and we were delighted that a centre had been formed in one of the world’s poorest and harshest countries.
Both Georges Anglade [...]

First PEN meeting of 2010 Tuesday 9 February - (posted on January 13, 2010)

The first PEN committee meeting of 2010 will be in the Board Room of the new Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas at the State Library of Victoria at 7.30pm on Tuesday 9 February 2010. All welcome but PLEASE BE PROMPT AS SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO LET YOU IN TO THE CENTRE. Entry to [...]

Women Writers – Double Jeopardy March 14 - (posted on )

The first event for 2010 will be ‘Women Writers – Double Jeopardy’ also at the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas at the State Library of Victoria. It will be held between 2 and 3 pm on Sunday, 14 March 2010. Celebrating women writers who are living and working under threat. The event will [...]

Farewell to 2009 - (posted on December 28, 2009)

President Arnold Zable begins his final editorial of 2009 with this exciting news
‘To begin at the end, this afternoon I was shown around the new Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas at the State Library. The centre is still being renovated, but some of the key players have moved in. They include the directors and [...]

A Joint Statement on the Trial of Dr Liu Xiaobo - (posted on December 20, 2009)

We, the undersigned, are extremely outraged at the news that Dr. Liu Xiaobo, the best-known dissident writer and one of the most renowned intellectuals in China,  is to be tried in Beijing in a few days solely for his writings.
We strongly condemn this most recent move of Chinese regime to signify its  increasing challenge to [...]

A Joint Statement on President Obama’s Visit to China - (posted on November 14, 2009)

(13 November 2009 Stockholm) 63 PEN Centers and 11 organizations worldwide have issued today a joint statement calling on U.S. President Barack Obama while visiting China to demand the Chinese Government to release all prisoners of conscience, including PEN members Dr. Liu Xiaobo,Shi Tao,Yang Tongyan and other imprisoned writers and human rights defenders.
The statement are [...]

Melbourne PEN AGM and Writing letters of solidarity to writers in prison - (posted on November 10, 2009)

This is your opportunity to come and meet Melbourne PEN Committee members, reflect on the work Melbourne PEN has done over the past 12 months and write cards of solidarity and friendship to courageous writers globally who are persecuted and or imprisoned for daring to write their truth.
Tuesday 24th November, 7.00pm
North Fitzroy Star Hotel at [...]

New President of International PEN - (posted on October 30, 2009)

On 21 October 2009, the International PEN Assembly of Delegates elected as International President, John Ralston Saul, to succeed Jirí Grušá  who has held the post for six years. Jirí Grušá  was one of the most important dissident Czech writers. Earlier presidents have included Alberto Moravia, Heinrich Böll, Arthur Miller, Pierre Emmanuel, Mario Vargas Llosa [...]