Sydney PEN

Sydney PEN, also referred as International PEN Sydney Centre Inc., is based in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1931, it is one of the three Australian PEN Centres, and is an affiliate of PEN International. It is an association of Australian writers and readers, publishers and human rights activists, established with the aim to promote literature, freedom of expression and to foster local culture and understanding.[1]

Sydney PEN
Formation1931
TypeLiterary society[1]
Legal statusAssociation
PurposePublication, Advocacy, Literary Awards[1]
HeadquartersLondon, UK
Location
Region served
Sydney
Official language
English
President
Mark Isaacs[1]
Key people
Committee[1]
Parent organisation
International PEN
AffiliationsAustralian PEN
Websitepen.org.au
RemarksSydney PEN is an affiliate of International Pen and one of three Australian PENs'

In November 2004, Sydney PEN, as part of the Australian PEN network, won the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award for its work with asylum seeker writers held in Australian detention centres.

History

Sydney PEN was founded in 1931 by Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore, and Dorothea Mackellar. Since inception, it has conducted campaigns and events supporting literature, fostering international understanding and defending freedom of expression.[1]

Sydney PEN Campaigns

In 2008, Sydney PEN, together with International Pen, helped to release 94 writers from prison.

Its Writers in Prison program selects urgent regional cases that feature public advocacy campaigns. It has carried out campaigns for Father Nguyen Van Ly, Tashi Rabten, Liu Xia, Gheyret Niyaz, Liu Xianbin, Tan Zuoren, Liu Xiaobo, Nurnuhemmet Yasin, Ragip Zarakolu and Busra Ersanh.[2][3]

Awards & Recognitions
See also: List of PEN literary awards

Sydney PEN Award

Established in 2006, Sydney PEN Award hosts annual awards that serve to recognise the members who has worked hard to promote the PEN Centre's value.[4]

PEN Keneally Award

Sydney PEN, along with other two Australian PEN Centres, established a new biennial award "PEN Keneally Award" in 2004, for recognising an achievement in promoting freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature.

The award is named in the honour of Thomas Keneally AO for ‘his lifetime’s commitment to the values of PEN’.


Publications

Sydney PEN Magazine is a bi-annual publication, which contains articles, news on PEN's work, interviews, literary publications and translations. The magazine is produced in support by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney,[7] and has been using CAL Cultural Fund.[8]

See also

References
  1. "About Us - Sydney PEN Centre". PEN.org.au.
  2. "Sydney PEN's involvement in Writers in Prison Program". International PEN. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  3. "Sydney PEN"s campaigns". PEN.org.au. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  4. "Sydney PEN Awards". PEN.org.au. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  5. "Sydney PEN awarded to Rosie Scott". The Second Revolution. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  6. "Dr. Denise Leith". DeniseLeith.com. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  7. "Sydney PEN's bi-annual magazine publication". PEN.org.au. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  8. "CAL's Culture Funding for Sydney PEN's publications". Copyright Agency Limited (Aus). Retrieved 2 February 2012.
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