Literary institutions must remain neutral platforms and enable equitable debate, says PEN International.
Ed. Note: At the time of publishing this piece, we at IFEX are bearing witness to the atrocious escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel. In this worrisome context, we express our firm solidarity with IFEX members MADA, 7amleh, I’Iam and Visualizing Impact, and with our colleagues throughout the region, as the consequences of the conflict spread beyond their borders.
This statement was originally published on pen-international.org on 16 October 2023.
PEN International regrets LitProm decision to postpone the award ceremony for Palestinian writer Adania Shibli, during which Shibli was set to receive the LiBeraturpreis for her novel ‘Minor Detail.’
LitProm is the awards administrator of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest trade fair of its kind. The decision was made “In light of the terror against Israel”. Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, said that the organisers “want to make Jewish and Israeli voices especially visible at the book fair.” It adds that the book fair “stands with complete solidarity on the side of Israel.”
PEN International believes that literary platforms should ensure that dialogue – particularly during heightened tension – remains unfettered and provide equal space to all voices. It also believes that literary institutions must remain neutral platforms and enable equitable debate.
Commenting on the decision, Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President said: “We regret that Adania Shibli’s voice won’t be present at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Sustainable and long-lasting peace and security can only be ensured through the protection of the fundamental right to freedom of expression, including artistic and cultural expression for all.”
Adania Shibli, a novelist and essayist born in Palestine, who lives between Berlin and Jerusalem, was scheduled to receive the 2023 LiBeraturpreis on October 20. This annual award is presented to female writers hailing from Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Arab world. Released in English in 2020 under the title ‘Minor Detail,’ Shibli’s novel was described by LitProm as a “rigorously composed work of art that tells of the power of borders and what violent conflicts do to and with people”.
Upholding and recalling our Charter at this time remains crucial. PEN International’s Charter highlights the need to ensure that “works of art, the patrimony of humanity at large, should be left untouched by national or political passion.”
For more information on PEN International work on Israel and Palestine, please click here.
