PEN America cancels World Voices Competition amid criticism of its response to Israel-Hamas battle
NEW YORK — PEN America has canceled its annual World Voices Competition, because the literary and free expression group continues to face widespread unhappiness with its response to the Israel-Hamas battle. Earlier this week, PEN known as off its awards ceremony after almost half of the finalists withdrew from rivalry.
The competition, which brings in writers from all over the world, was to have taken place subsequent month in New York and Los Angeles. PEN CEO Suzanne Nossel expressed remorse over the cancellation, saying it contrasted with why Salman Rushdie amongst others established the competition 20 years in the past.
Naomi Klein, Michelle Alexander, Hisham Matar and dozens of different writers endorsed an open letter in March saying they’d not take part within the competition.
“PEN America exists to unite writers in protection of free expression. The premise of World Voices is to have interaction throughout huge chasms of worldview and perception, together with fostering direct dialog between and amongst those that disagree profoundly,” Nossel mentioned in a press release Friday.
“A central function of the deliberate competition was to have featured a number of Palestinian writers, enabling them to talk not simply in regards to the battle however about their very own books and works. We remorse that this isn’t attainable. We’re grateful and categorical our deep unhappiness to the handfuls of writers who voiced their dedication to stay in occasions, touring from across the nation and the globe.”
Whereas Nossel acknowledged criticism of PEN’s management, with many writers alleging that the group has failed to completely condemn Israel’s invasion or to completely help Palestinian writers and journalists, she additionally alleged that mentioned a few of her opponents had been stifling dialogue and pressuring others to boycott PEN occasions.
“Many writers defined their withdrawal from the occasion as an expression of protest directed towards PEN America’s response to the battle in Gaza,” she mentioned in her assertion. “Nevertheless, we have now additionally heard from dozens of writers who’ve needed to endure harsh assaults on social media and heavy calls for to distance themselves from PEN America. Many expressed real concern to us.”
April and Might have historically been essentially the most high-profile months for PEN, when it hosts its award occasion, World Voices and a gala fundraiser on the American Museum of Pure Historical past. A PEN spokesperson mentioned Friday that the gala continues to be deliberate for Might 16, with honorees together with Paul Simon.
