PEN America cancels World Voices Festival amid criticism of its response to Israel-Hamas war

NEW YORK – PEN America has canceled its annual World Voices Festival, because the literary and loose expression group continues to face well-liked sadness with its response to the Israel-Hamas war. Earlier this week, PEN called off its awards ceremony after just about part of the finalists withdrew from rivalry.

The pageant, which brings in writers from around the globe, used to be to have taken position subsequent month in New York and Los Angeles. PEN CEO Suzanne Nossel expressed be apologetic about over the cancellation, announcing it contrasted with why Salman Rushdie amongst others established the pageant twenty years in the past.

Naomi Klein, Michelle Alexander, Hisham Matar and dozens of different writers counseled an open letter in March announcing they wouldn’t take part within the pageant.

“PEN America exists to unite writers in defense of free expression. The premise of World Voices is to engage across wide chasms of worldview and belief, including fostering direct conversation between and among those who disagree profoundly,” Nossel mentioned in a observation Friday.

“A central feature of the planned festival was to have featured multiple Palestinian writers, enabling them to speak not just about the war but about their own books and works. We regret that this is not possible. We are grateful and express our deep sadness to the dozens of writers who voiced their commitment to remain in events, traveling from around the country and the globe.”

While Nossel said criticism of PEN’s management, with many writers alleging that the group has failed to totally condemn Israel’s invasion or to totally make stronger Palestinian writers and newshounds, she additionally alleged that mentioned some of her combatants had been stifling dialogue and pressuring others to boycott PEN occasions.

“Many writers explained their withdrawal from the event as an expression of protest directed toward PEN America’s response to the war in Gaza,” she mentioned in her observation. “However, we have also heard from dozens of writers who have had to endure harsh attacks on social media and heavy demands to distance themselves from PEN America. Many expressed genuine fear to us.”

April and May have historically been probably the most high-profile months for PEN, when it hosts its award tournament, World Voices and a gala fundraiser on the American Museum of Natural History. A PEN spokesperson mentioned Friday that the gala continues to be deliberate for May 16, with honorees together with Paul Simon.