News & Reviews

WORD: Author Orhan Pamuk to speak at second annual Pen World Voices Festival
Edited Press Release

Turkish author Orhan Pamuk will open up the second annual PEN World Voices Festival with a lecture and talk with Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood, the PEN American Center announced. Over 100 authors from five continents will attend the gathering, which is being chaired by Salman Rushdie, in New York City from April 25 to 30.

The theme of this year’s festival is "Faith and Reason," which will be explored by 134 writers and cultural critics from 44 countries in over 60 panels, lectures, tributes, readings, and one-on-one conversations.

Pamuk’s trip to the United States for the Festival will be his first since the Turkish government charged him last year with "insulting Turkish identity," charges that were dropped in January after vigorous opposition by PEN. Following his lecture, there will be an on-stage conversation between Pamuk and Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood.

"We asked Orhan Pamuk to deliver the Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture because he is a great writer who splendidly exemplifies Arthur Miller’s lifelong commitment to free expression and the power of literature," said PEN Executive Director Michael Roberts. "His work demonstrates that the written word is a powerful force that can challenge governments, institutions, and peoples to examine their most closely-held beliefs."

The Festival’s theme of "Faith and Reason" will explore the insights literature and writers bring to bear on critical political and cultural challenges in today’s world.

"Unlike most countries, America does not have a strong history of authors acting as cultural critics and public intellectuals," Festival Chairman Salman Rushdie said. "The hope is that through this Festival, more people will see the vital role that writers play in public discourse and debate on our most important issues today."

Numerous programs scheduled around throughout New York City will consider the Festival theme from a variety of perspectives. "Faith & Reason: Writers Speak" (at Town Hall on Wednesday, April 26) will feature some of the world’s best-known writers joined by new and emerging voices: Nobel Laureates Nadine Gordimer (South Africa) and Toni Morrison (United States); Great Britain’s Martin Amis, Zadie Smith and Jeanette Winterson; Chinua Achebe (Nigeria/USA); Gioconda Belli (Nicaragua); Roberto Calasso (Italy); E.L. Doctorow (USA); David Grossman (Israel); Elias Khoury (Lebanon); Yusef Komunyakaa (USA); Salman Rushdie (India/Great Britain); Duong Thu Huong (Vietnam); and Ayu Utami (Indonesia).

The full program for the PEN World Voices Festival, including author participants, event location and ticketing information, as well as corporate sponsors, can be found here.

PEN, founded in 1921 with currently 3,100 members, is the world’s oldest literary and the oldest ongoing human rights organization. It seeks the advancement of literature, the defense of free expression, and the promotion of international literary fellowship. Past members include James Baldwin, Willa Cather, Robert Frost, Allen Ginsberg, Langston Hughes, Arthur Miller, Marianne Moore, Eugene O’Neill, Susan Sontag, and John Steinbeck, among others.

To learn more about the PEN American Center, visit their Web site.

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