(PEN Canada/IFEX) – The following is a 3 October 2006 PEN Canada press release: Journalist Kim Bolan chosen as the winner of the PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage Prize Toronto, October 3, 2006 – PEN Canada is pleased to announce that Vancouver Sun journalist Kim Bolan is this year’s winner of the PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage […]
(PEN Canada/IFEX) – The following is a 3 October 2006 PEN Canada press release:
Journalist Kim Bolan chosen as the winner of the PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage Prize
Toronto, October 3, 2006 – PEN Canada is pleased to announce that Vancouver Sun journalist Kim Bolan is this year’s winner of the PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage Prize.
The award recognizes writers and journalists who have displayed exceptional courage and integrity in the interest of freedom of expression. The winner must have met at least two of the following criteria: made a significant impact through writing or broadcasting; demonstrated through work a willingness to put his/her career on the line in the tenacious pursuit of a story; and displayed courage and taken an independent viewpoint.
“We are delighted that the jury has selected Kim Bolan as this year’s winner,” said PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage Prize committee chair Judy Creighton-Kidd. “Her journalistic work amply exemplifies how deserving she is of the award.”
In the jury’s words, “Kim Bolan has devoted much of her career to the Air India affair, which is probably the biggest criminal story in Canada of the past 20 years. She had the courage to continue to do important work under dangerous conditions. In Kim’s case, the danger was real, immediate and personal. She was on a death list and, after the assassination of Tara Singh Hayer, she had every reason to believe the Sikh militants would not hesitate to kill her, too. We don’t know how many other journalists would have had the guts to persevere.”
Bolan is also the author of Loss of Faith: How the Air India Bombers Got Away with Murder. She will be in Toronto to accept the PEN Canada/Paul Kidd Courage Prize during UNCENSORED, a gala fundraising benefit for PEN Canada, on October 20 in Toronto.
The award is named after Paul Kidd, who died in 2002 after a career as one of Canada’s first globe-trotting foreign correspondents. He reported from more than 70 countries, braving street violence, gunfire, arrest and threats from political regimes infuriated by his insistence on getting and reporting the truth. The prize is administered by PEN Canada. Eligible nominees are Canadian authors, journalists, photo-journalists, newspapers editors or publishers who freelance or are employees of a Canadian publishing company, newspaper, magazine or broadcast outlet.
An evening of readings of works-in-progress by a rare and eclectic line-up of Canadian and international literary talent, UNCENSORED features Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Azar Nafisi, Wayson Choy, Miriam Toews and M.G. Vassanji. Writer and actor Ann-Marie MacDonald will host the event, which marks the opening night of Harbourfront’s annual International Festival of Authors. The benefit takes place at Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, at 7pm. (A private reception begins at 8.30pm). Tickets are $20 or $35 for the readings only, or $175 for the readings and reception. They are available through http://www.UofTtix.ca or +1 416 978 8849.
PEN Canada is a centre of International PEN that campaigns on behalf of writers around the world persecuted for the expression of their thoughts. In Canada, it supports the right to free expression as enshrined in Section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This media release is also available on-line at: http://www.pencanada.ca/media/Media-PENPaulKidd-03Oct06.pdf
