PHILIPPINE PEN GOES ‘ALL IN’ ON ITS 2021 ONLINE CONGRESS
The Philippine Centre of International PEN (Poets & Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists), is inviting its members to its annual Congress on May 15, 2021.
ALL IN aims to capture the linguistic and cultural inclusivity that the digital space enables, as well as speak of the collective hope Filipinos must have during these uncertain times. In partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Congress will be held online.
Marking the 100th year of PEN International, the theme also signifies the Philippine PEN’s solidarity with the organization’s continuing fight for Freedom of Expression across the world by delivering a message of unity in freedom and dignity.
SCHEDULE The one-day congress will be held in two parts. The first part, starting at 8:30 a.m., features a keynote address by Bro. Karl Gaspar, followed by the traditional Jose Rizal lecture by Dr. Reynaldo Ileto, along with reactions from noted public intellectuals. This morning session is primarily for active members of the organization, but it will be streamed live for the general public.
The second part takes place at 2 p.m. FREE THE WORD features public readings and performances by noted writers and artists across the nation, including Elsie Coscolluela, Rody Vera, Anton Juan Jr., Edgar Samar, John Iremil Teodoro, Jhoanna Cruz, Guelan Luarca, Adjani Arumpac, JK Anicoche, Erl Sorilla, Jonathan Davila, Richard Hangdaan Kinnud, Jason Chancoco, and Neldy Jolo, among others.
REGISTRATION To register and attend, PEN members should email philippinepen2021@gmail.com with the subject heading “ALL IN” to receive the Zoom link for both morning and afternoon sessions.
The Philippine Center of International PEN or PEN Philippines celebrated its golden anniversary in December 2007. Its founding was marked by a national writers’ conference, the first of its kind after the war, held for two days in Baguio City in December 1957 and attended by distinguished literary people and intellectuals from all over the country including Senator Claro M. Recto and President Carlos P. Garcia. The conference organizer and also Philippine PEN founder was F. Sionil Jose, now National Artist for Literature. Among the conference participants were, later to become National Artists for Literature: Francisco Arcellana, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Bienvenido Lumbera, Alejandro Roces and Edith Tiempo.
In its 50 years, the PEN Philippines has organized and sponsored such activities as literary readings, workshops, meet-the-author series, seminars, and conferences in Manila and in the provinces. It has hosted the visits or held receptions for distinguished writers from abroad, such as Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Richard Kim, Lin Yutang, Khushwant Singh, Hirabayashi Taiko, Hayako Sono, Norman Mailer, Gunter Grass, Mario Vargas Llosa, Mochtar Lubis, Edwin Thumboo, Juan Gelman, and many others.
On September 30 to October 3, the 2019 PEN International Congress was hosted by PEN Philippines in Manila. It was attended by over 150 writers and PEN members from 65 PEN Centres across the globe, and the first time in the history of PEN International for it to be held in Southeast Asia. PEN also organized two regional Asian Writers conferences in Manila (1962, 1981), and published several anthologies including an Asian PEN Anthology. During the Marcos dictatorship, PEN stood in defense of freedom of expression and speech. This is an avowed purpose as embodied in the International PEN Charter.
The Philippine Center of International PEN is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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