On Monday, 15th November, 2021, PEN Melbourne held its International Day of the Imprisoned Writer event at the Wheeler Centre to pay tribute to 100 years of PEN International work. The event was covered by Iranian TV news. The youtube link is provided below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLgep0JLyS0&t=2s
In this special event, held on the international Day of the Imprisoned Writer, join an assembly of voices and languages as we pay tribute to the work of PEN and rejoice in the power of the written word. Featuring readings and reflections from Arnold Zable, Shokoofeh Azar, Hidayet Ceylan, Jackie Mansourian, Anna Takluem and Chris Lwin. Hosted by PEN Melbourne Ambassador Sami Shah.
Presented in partnership with PEN Melbourne and supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. Help support PEN’s campaigns to defend persecuted and imprisoned writers.
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People say that (writers) are pretty powerless: we don’t have an army, we don’t have a bureaucracy. But if that were true, then why would writers be arrested?... Because the spoken word is powerful.