The 90th Anniversary of International PEN occurs in 2012. This archive piece by PEN American Center sets out some of the history of International PEN. International PEN  has much to celebrate with 20,000 writers in 100 countries keeping in touch through conference, committee and widespread use of social-media. I am including as link , a monthly letter from  John Ralston Saul to [...]

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PEN International is deeply distressed by the events in Oslo and Utoeya Island on 22 July 2011 “Our thoughts are with Norwegian PEN, its members, our friends and supporters at the Fritt Ord Foundation, Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cities of Refuge Network, and Norwegian publishers as well as all the people of Norway. [...]

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Ladies and gentlemen, is my pleasure to address you as Chair of Irish PEN on the occasion of our AGM. Our year began late. It was July or August when our previous honourable chairperson, Anne Hartigan, resigned due to work pressures and I was asked to take over as chair. Most of the outgoing committee [...]

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11-04-27 Press Statement Ireland Blasphemy Law     27 April 2011 PEN International strongly supports the repeal of Ireland’s Defamation Act of 2009 and an amendment to the Irish Constitution‘s requirement that blasphemy be prohibited under Irish law. PEN is an organization whose members pledge to promote good understanding and mutual respect between nations and to [...]

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The launch of Sarah Webb’s new novel The Loving Kind, published by Pan Macmillan, took place at Hughes and Hughes, Dun Laoghaire on Wednesday 3rd Feb 2010. It was launched by Irish PEN Treasurer and former Chair, Marita Conlon McKenna and then at the Royal St George Yacht Club. Sarah’s books Amy Green 2 and Emma the Penguin are ever popular books with younger readers.

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