Jo Glanville is stepping down as director of English PEN at the end of July after more than four years, during which time she has cemented its reputation as the leading champion of freedom of speech for writers in the UK and internationally. Jo has transformed English PEN’s level of engagement as an advocate of freedom of expression, as well as promoting the charity’s support for literature and literary translation.
Maureen Freely, President of English PEN, says:
I feel very privileged to have worked alongside Jo Glanville for the past three years. Her dedication to the cause of free expression is absolute. She has been its most passionate advocate, in the media and at the highest levels of government. She has worked tirelessly to support new writers in our own marginalised communities and writers at risk abroad. With her abiding interest in their words and ideas, she has helped to create a genuine community of writers helping writers. With her prescient grasp of the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age, she has transformed our work as well as our reach. English PEN will not be the same without her. But her legacy will remain, and for this we shall be forever grateful.
Jo Glanville says:
I’ve been lucky to work with an incredibly talented group of individuals at English PEN and with some of the most dedicated advocates for freedom of expression in the UK and internationally, including remarkable and courageous writers, publishers, journalists, translators, lawyers, bloggers and editors. I’m grateful to everyone for the generous support that makes PEN’s work possible, and for the inspiration and guidance throughout.
Jo Glanville has been awarded an honorary visiting fellowship at the Arbeitsstelle Holocaustliteratur, Gießen University, Germany.