PEN America has announced the cancellation of its 2024 World Voices Festival, scheduled for May 8 to May 11 in New York City and May 8 to May 16 in Los Angeles, due to increasing pressures on free expression and its response to the violence in Gaza. The decision comes amid a rise in attempts to suppress discourse on campuses.
Read: Naomi Klein among writers boycotting PEN World Voices Festival over Gaza
“We share the anguish over the loss of life and devastation of the war. We are listening to our critics.”
Suzanne Nossel, PEN America CEO
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, expressed her concerns, stating, “PEN America exists to unite writers in defense of free expression. The premise of World Voices is to engage across wide chasms of worldview and belief, including fostering direct conversation between and among those who disagree profoundly.”
She continued: “We share the anguish over the loss of life and devastation of the war. We are listening to our critics. Over the last seven months, we have consistently taken and will continue to take steps to strengthen the core of our work: to support writers and stand for free expression.”
They say the festival was notably set to feature multiple Palestinian writers, an opportunity to highlight their works beyond the context of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, the organisation added that escalating pressures and backlash from various groups have made it challenging for writers to participate without fear of reprisal or being seen as taking sides in the conflict.
Read: PEN America cancels Literary Awards ceremony over Gaza response
Many writers have withdrawn from the festival as a form of protest against PEN America’s handling of the situation, while others have faced intense scrutiny and attacks on social media. Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, PEN America’s Chief Officer of Literary Programming, reflected on the situation: “We greatly respect those writers who have followed their consciences and stand with those who felt compelled to this decision by virtue of the pressures they faced.
“We are committed to hosting a Town Hall convening in the near future to create a space to wrestle with the issues gripping the literary community and our own organization. We will welcome all of those slated to be Festival participants as well as PEN America members to be part of this event, and will share details on that soon,” she said.
The festival’s cancellation marks a significant setback for PEN America, which was founded on principles of free expression and open dialogue. It showcases the challenges faced by cultural institutions in maintaining these ideals amid political and social turmoil. Earlier this month, the organisation also cancelled their literary awards over the same reason. Writers Against the War on Gaza called it “a win for free expression”.
Salman Rushdie, who first announced the founding of World Voices in 2005, lamented the cultural climate that stifles dialogue, which he feared nineteen years ago. Despite the current setbacks, PEN America remains hopeful that open discourse will eventually prevail, aided by writers who continue to advocate for understanding and common ground.