Saskia Schmidt

I’ve met Philo Ikonya at the launch of the English PEN Writers in Prison Committee 50th anniversary publication in association with Index on Censorship some days ago.
Philo Ikonya living in exile in Norway is an author, human rights activist and former President of Kenyan PEN. She was making a great speech and her poem by herself she read was so touching as she has such unique charisma.

I was more like a secret observer as I was asked by a friend to be their photographer for this night. But this gave me the great chance to get to know the English PEN and their work for the first time.

E.g. a lovely women supporting and writing about the bad situation, treatment and medical condition of the novelist, essayist, poet and journalist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy imprisoned in Vietnam. Also “Liu Xiaobo has been a prominent member of PEN and served as president of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC), which does on-the-ground advocacy work in China despite constant pressure from the authorities” (Beyond Bars-Index of Censorship Vol. 39 Nr 4 2010).

I thought I’d like to share this little experience of the event in the Free Word Center with you as it was a really special moment for me. It also allowed me to learn more about their work and people behind this organisation and their challenging work! The magazine and the event just gave me another look on the people fighting out there for human right and freedom of expression.

Membership FRIENDS: Join English PEN as a friend if you value literature and freedom of expression but are not actively involved in any professional aspect of writing.
PEN international Statement on Wikileaks