Sydney PEN
A Global Literary Community
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| Formation | 1931 |
|---|---|
| Type | Literary society |
| Legal status | Association |
| Purpose | Publication, Advocacy, Literary Awards |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
| Location | |
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Region served
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Sydney |
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Official language
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English |
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President
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Zoë Rodriguez |
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Key people
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Committee |
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Parent organisation
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International PEN |
| Affiliations | Australian PEN |
| Website | pen |
| Remarks | Sydney PEN is an affiliate of International Pen and one of three Australian PENs' |
Sydney PEN, also referred as International PEN Sydney Centre Inc., is based in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1931, it is one of the three Australian PEN Centres, and is an affiliate of PEN International. It is an association of Australian writers and readers, publishers and human rights activists, established with the aim to promote literature, freedom of expression and to foster local culture and understanding.
In November 2004, Sydney PEN, as part of the Australian PEN network, won the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award for its work with asylum seeker writers held in Australian detention centres.
Sydney PEN was founded in 1931 by Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore, and Dorothea Mackellar. Since inception, it has conducted campaigns and events supporting literature, fostering international understanding and defending freedom of expression.
In 2008, Sydney PEN, together with International Pen, helped to release 94 writers from prison.
Its Writers in Prison program selects urgent regional cases that feature public advocacy campaigns. It has carried out campaigns for Father Nguyen Van Ly, Tashi Rabten, Liu Xia, Gheyret Niyaz, Liu Xianbin, Tan Zuoren, Liu Xiaobo, Nurnuhemmet Yasin, Ragip Zarakolu and Busra Ersanh.
Established in 2006, Sydney PEN Award hosts annual awards that serve to recognise the members who has worked hard to promote the PEN Centre's value.
Sydney PEN, along with other two Australian PEN Centres, established a new biennial award "PEN Keneally Award" in 2004, for recognising an achievement in promoting freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature.
The award is named in the honour of Thomas Keneally AO for ‘his lifetime’s commitment to the values of PEN’.
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