Join us for an exciting programme of events over three days (18–20 April 2023) featuring:
–Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai in conversation with Sofia Rehman (18 April, 10.45am)
-Art after War: The Future of Ukrainian Literature with Tetyana Teren, Victoria Amelina and Kateryna Babkina, chaired by Ukrainian journalist and culture manager, Sofia Cheliak (18 April, 1.30pm)
-Writers Natasha Carthew, Zahed Sultan and So Mayer, with Unbound co-founder Dan Kieran on creating a writing community in 2023 (18 April, 3pm)
-Two translation events in the Literary Translation Centre: Translation in Multilingual India (18 April, 1.15pm) and Creating Samples and Getting Projects Acquired (18 April, 4.30pm)
-Authors Leone Ross and Irenosen Okojie in conversation about speculative fiction (19 April, 12pm)
-Editors Hannah Chukwu, Ella Griffiths and Marigold Atkey on republishing forgotten voices (19 April, 1.15pm)
–Sawad Hussain and Annie McDermott in conversation with Preti Taneja on translating violence (19 April, 2.30pm)
-A panel discussion on the differences and similarities in censorship of children’s literature under soviet occupation in Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and Estonia (20 April, 12pm)
-The freedom to publish: authors and publishers fighting SLAPPs and censorship, with case studies of two high-profile books published by HarperCollins UK – Putin’s People by Catherine Belton and Kleptopia by Tom Burgis (20 April, 2pm)
FULL PROGRAMME
TUESDAY 18 APRIL 2023
Keynote: Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai in conversation with Sofia Rehman
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 10.45am–11.30am
English PEN Literary Salon
International bestselling author and journalist Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (The Mountains Sing) joins English PEN to discuss her new book, Dust Child (Oneworld), exploring identity, language and the legacy of war. In conversation with scholar, writer and editor Sofia Rehman, she will discuss her commitment to centring marginalised experiences of war, decolonising literature, handling sensitive issues such as sexual exploitation, PTSD and racism, and the research that went into developing Dust Child as a story.
Translation in Multilingual India
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 1.15pm–2pm
Literary Translation Centre
While most countries only have one, two or three official languages, India has 23. But the reality is that multilingualism is at play in daily life all over the world when indigenous languages, immigrant languages and post-colonial legacies are recognised alongside official languages. Most translation in India takes place between Indian languages, but this tradition is facing challenges as there are fewer translators working between lesser represented languages and particularly between languages which are geographically distant (i.e. Assamese to Kannada). This session will explore how translators working to and from Indian languages operate in this context – how language hierarchies and power dynamics affect what is translated, what voices are not being heard, how ‘bridge’ languages and translations are increasingly required and what organisational and funding structures are available for supporting translators and publishers.
Art after War: The Future of Ukrainian Literature
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 1.30pm–2.30pm
English PEN Literary Salon
Ukraine’s rich cultural and literary heritage and infrastructure is under extreme threat, and yet its artists, writers and creatives continue to create and develop work. But how does a country build a literary future during times of war? And how does such national trauma shape the art that is produced? Journalist Tetyana Teren (Executive Director of PEN Ukraine) and authors Victoria Amelina and Kateryna Babkina will discuss how Ukraine’s literary legacy will evolve, how a country reclaims its intellectual and cultural identity when it’s under attack, and how writing can be a form of resistance. The discussion will be hosted by Sofia Cheliak, Ukrainian journalist and culture manager. This event is delivered by English PEN in partnership with PEN Ukraine and with support from the British Council.
Creating a Writing Community in 2023
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 3pm–3.45pm
English PEN Literary Salon
What are some of the barriers and challenges writers face today, and how can they use their voices, experience and platforms to support others in their profession? Writers Natasha Carthew, Zahed Sultan and So Mayer, chaired by writer and Unbound co-founder Dan Kieran, join English PEN to discuss how writers can use writing, festivals, commissioning, prizes and advocacy to support each other, the importance of belonging to an international creative community and how this network can be strengthened to best serve its members.
Creating Samples and Getting Projects Acquired
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 4.30pm–5.15pm
Literary Translation Centre
A conversation between translators, academics, agents and organisers exploring sample translations, and the programmes – including PEN Presents – that are working to support the often-unpaid work of creating samples and to diversify the translation community and landscape. Followed by the announcement of the latest PEN Presents shortlist.
WEDNESDAY 19 APRIL 2023
Leone Ross and Irenosen Okojie in conversation
Wednesday 19 April 2023, 12pm–12.45pm
English PEN Literary Salon
Goldsmiths Prize-shortlisted author Leone Ross and Betty Trask award-winner Irenosen Okojie join English PEN to discuss their interest and work in speculative fiction. Following the publication of Glimpse (Peepal Tree), the first anthology of speculative fiction by Black British writers, editor Ross and contributor Okojie will explore speculative fiction’s relevance to freedom of expression, what a Black British tradition of the surreal could look like and how, now more than ever, embracing speculative fiction is a revolutionary act.
In with the Old: Republishing Forgotten Voices
Wednesday 19 April 2023, 1.15pm–2pm
English PEN Literary Salon
Editors Hannah Chukwu, Ella Griffiths and Marigold Atkey join English PEN to consider the excitement, pleasure and value to be found in republishing and reading out of print and hard-to-find books. In conversation with Zoe Sadler, Events and Prizes Manager at English PEN, they will discuss how they discovered and advocated for some of their titles, how they refashioned them for the contemporary market, the role reissuing can play in publishers’ business models, and why this form of publishing can be a useful tool for highlighting marginalised voices.
Translating Violence with Sawad Hussain and Annie McDermott
Wednesday 19 April 2023, 2.30pm–3.15pm
English PEN Literary Salon
Translators Sawad Hussain and Annie McDermott join English PEN to discuss their experiences of translating violence and other graphic content. In conversation with 2022 Gordon Burn Prize-winning author, academic and Co-chair of English PEN’s Translation Advisory Group, Preti Taneja, they will discuss recent projects including Hussain’s translation of What Have You Left Behind? by Bushra al-Maqtari (Fitzcarraldo Editions) and McDermott’s translations of Dead Girls and Brickmakers by Selva Almada (Charco Press). They will also explore the delicate task of translating journalistic accounts of war and trauma, how violence is expressed through language and the self-care involved when tackling graphic content.
THURSDAY 20 APRIL 2023
Censoring Children’s Literature
Thursday 20 April, 12pm–1pm
English PEN Literary Salon
Boldizsár M. Nagy, Eglė Baliutavičiūtė, Anneliis Lepp and Magdalena Paul, in conversation with Nicky Parker, will explore the differences and similarities in censorship of children’s literature under soviet occupation in Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and Estonia. They will discuss how state censorship has transformed into self-censorship, which topics are still considered ‘harmful’ to young readers, why freedom of expression is important when writing for children, and the positive projects in their countries that are trying to break the mould. This session is delivered by the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre in partnership with English PEN. Supported by the Lithuanian Cultural Institute and Estonian Publisher’s Association.
The freedom to publish: authors and publishers fighting SLAPPs and censorship
Thursday 20 April 2023, 2pm–3.30pm
Main Stage
This session, delivered by the International Publishers Association, the Publishers Association, English PEN and PEN International, will focus on the use of libel laws and SLAPPs (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) to intimidate authors and publishers into self-censorship and the importance of the work to defend freedom of expression. Starting with the case studies of two high-profile books published by HarperCollins UK – Putin’s People by Catherine Belton and Kleptopia by Tom Burgis – the session will also examine the risks in other countries in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Finally, the IPA will announce the shortlist for the 2023 IPA Prix Voltaire.
With Tom Burgis, Author (UK); Simon Dowson-Collins, General Counsel & Company Secretary, HarperCollins (UK); Jeronimo Pimentel, Director General, Penguin Random House Peru (Peru); Judha Su, a founding editor & publisher, soi squad (Thailand); Tanja Tuma, President, PEN Slovenia (Slovenia), PEN International Trustee