BLED 2012 - HIGHLIGHTS

This is a reviewed version of the day-by-day report I posted on the “PEN International on Facebook” page.


Wednesday, May 16
Afternoon
Greetings to everybody. Temperature was of + 5° and it rained :o(

In the evening, after a welcome address by the Mayor of Bled, Mr. Fajfar, there was a literary evening about Prekmurje and Porabje, the Pannonian part of Slovenia.
Afterwards we attended to a reception given by the President of Slovenia, Mr. Türk.

Thursday, May 17
Morning
Nice weather, today :o)

Today in the morning 1st Round Table about "Transformation - new paths or the decline of western rational civilisation".
During the 1st Round Table there were contribution by Mr. Joze Trontelj, President of the Slovene Academy of Science and Arts, as well of Janko Prunk, Sylvestre Clancier, Elizabet Csicsery-Ronay, Jean-Luc Despax, Jean-Philippe Domecq, Zeki Ergas and Andràs Petocz.
Tone Persak was the moderator.

Afternoon
Still nice weather :o)

This afternoon we had the 2nd Round table about "Perennial modernity", with interventions of Sibila Petlevski, Jeanine Baude, Sazana Capriqi, Sidney Lea, Tone Persak, Zvonimir Radeljkovic, Marjan Strojan, Lindita Tahiri, Hans Thill and Franca Tiberto.
Sibila Petlevski was the moderator.
In the evening there was a number of readings of poetry in Bled, Grosuplje, Kamna Gorica, Kranj, Maribor, Radovljica, Skofja Loka, Trzin and Vrba.
I read in Kamna gorica together with Bluma Finkelstein, Zeki Ergas and Patrizia Vascotto, with Ifigenija Simonovic as moderator.

Late in the evening we could see the movie "Nach der Stille" of Marcus Vetter about the story of Yael Armanet - Chernobroda , widow of Dov Chernobroda, who was murdered in a terrorist attack on March 31,2002.
Yael after seeing "The heart of Jenin" of Marcus Vetter - a Palestinian father giving the organs of his child who found death in an operation of the Israeli Army - asked Vetter to make a movie helping her to meet the family of the young suicide bomber who killed her husband. Bluma Finkelstein accompanied her in this trip to Jenin.
I happen to know both the ladies and found the film very moving.

Friday, May 18
Morning

Today there was a Round Table of the Writers for Peace Committee about "Sharing with others, a path for peace". Edi Kovac will be moderator and contributions of him, Colin Carberry, Sylvestre Clancier, Zeki Ergas, Rita El Khayat, Zineb El Rhazoui, Teresa Salema and Elizabeth Nordgren were expected.
A very interesting morning: Edi Kovac asked Bluma Finkelstein to enlarge on the subject of the movie we saw yesterday night.
There was a lively discussion to which Ali Amar (PEN Maroc), Zineb El Rhazoui (Pen Maroc) Jean Luc Despax (PEN France), Luan Starova (PEN Macedonia) and Bluma itself took part.
Further contributions by Vladimir Merta (Czech PEN), Josep-Maria Terricabras (Pen Català, represented by Carme Arenas) and Narcis Comadira. Elizabet Nordgren was not present.
In the evening a literary session with Sydney Lea, an American poet, in Ljubljana Castle.
Thanks to Mr. Janez Fajfar, Mayor of Bled, who could not attend but sent a message wishing to see all of us next year in Bled, and to Mr. Zoran Jankovic, Mayor of Ljubljana, represented by Mr. Ales Ceri, Deputy Mayor, for their receptions of today.

Saturday, May 19
Morning

A long and full meeting of the Writers for Peace Committee indeed.
After the report of the Chair Edi Kovac and of the Vice Chair Teresa Salema, the International President John Ralston Saul made a short speech about the WfPC being the real "place of dialogue" of PEN writers and explaining the initiatives in progress in order to strengthen the activity of the Committee.
Laura Mc Veigh commented about the decision to have a dedicated human resource at PEN International Office and of Frank Geary being in charge for the coordination of the operations of WfPC, T&LRC and WWC, which is indeed a big step forward.
There were many discussions about topics on the Agenda, like the situation of Peace in Asia, the Middle East and Mediterranean areas and Mexico.
I choose to recall among the many an intervention of Boris A. Novak, International Vice President, about the role of WfPC and the necessity to listen more to the other's reasons.
An important point was made about the actual size of PEN International operations in the field of education, that have to be strategically more and more improved and publicized.
There were also debates about environmental problems (extracting oil in the Arctic, privatization of water).
Teresa Salema was confirmed as Vice Chair of the Committee with 17 votes on 18 Centres present and voting, with an abstention: I would call that unanimity ;o)

In the afternoon a short trip to Zirovnica, with visit to Preseren's and Finzgar's birthplaces. We were received by the Mayor Mr. Leopold Pogacar.
The excursion was very pleasant: tonight we had the farewell dinner.


Next year we will meet here again.

PEN Trieste Officers - 2012

Following to the decisions of the Executive Board of PEN Trieste of February 16, 2012, the Officers of the organization are:

Antonio Della Rocca - President
Juan Octavio Prenz - Past President,
Rina Anna Rusconi - Vice President
Patrizia Vascotto - Secretary General
Lina Morselli - Treasurer

Ivan Bujukljev and Carla Carloni Mocavero are Members of the Board.

The InterPENbook n. 2/2011

The InterPENbook n. 2/2011 has been realized by the PEN Trieste in cooperation with the Croatian PEN.

It follows the InterPENbook n. 1/2008 in cooperation with the Slovenian PEN.

Seven Triestine poets and seven Croatian poets translated one in the other's language in order to achieve a better reciprocal knowledge in the spirit of PEN International.

This InterPENbook will be diffused - as the first one - into schools, libraries, universities and other cultural organizations.

A Letter to the British Council

Dear Madams/Sirs


It has come to our attention that for this month’s London Book Fair that you have invited the Administration of Press and Publication of the People’s Republic of China (GAPP-PRC), which has long banned the works written by a large number of dissident writers, among them Dr. Liu Xiaobo, laureate of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. The GAPP-PRC has carefully selected 180 publishers and 21 official writers to present its own achievement in government-approved and censored literatures.


In order to give English authors and readers a broader understanding of the situation of Chinese literature and Chinese writers, we would like name only a few writers whose works have been completely banned and who had to serve in prison for their writings in China. Like Liu Xiaobo, they have lost their freedom to write as well as their personal freedom, which is why we believe they need all more the support from the British Council. We hope that through your support to introduce, cite and spread their literary works - fiction, verse and prose, as well as their writings which have been labelled and condemned as crimes - to their British colleagues and the British public.



Among them are many PEN members and honorary PEN members, including the literary critic and poet Liu Xiaobo, presently serving his 11-year imprisonment, and his wife Liu Xia, a poet who has been held under house arrest for a year and a half; Zhu Yufu, a writer recently sentenced to seven years in prison mainly for a poem he wrote after his release from a 9-year imprisonment; Yang Tongyan (aka Yang Tianshui), a novelist and poet serving his 12-year sentence in jail after a previous 10-year imprisonment; Shi Tao, a journalist and poet serving his 10-year imprisonment; Nurmuhemmet Yasin, an Uighur novelist and poet serving his 10-year imprisonment; Tan Zuoren, an environmentalist and writer serving his 5-year imprisonment; Zhang Jianhong (aka Li Hong), a poet and novelist who died soon after his release on medical parole after suffering complete paralysis due to his stay in prison; Dr. David Tsui (aka Xu Zerong), an Oxford scholar who was released last year after serving 11 years in prison; Yu Jie, an author who has been forced to take asylum in the United States this year after he was silenced by brutal beatings and tortures for his book for a period of over one year; Liao Yiwu, a poet and author who has been forced into exile in Germany last year; Zhou Qing, a writer of Munich City whose works have been banned in China; Jiao Guobiao, a Beijing-based author whose works have been banned in China, and many others.


Particularly, we wish British and international writers and visitors of the London Book Fair to hear the voice of Ms. Woeser, a Tibetan writer restricted at her home in Beijing, to help the general public understand the tragic events of continuous and large-scale self-immolations in Tibet, while dozens of Tibetan writers and scholars who have raised their voice about the political situation in Tibet, have been imprisoned there, including Domal Kyab, Tashi Rabten, Jangtse Donkho, Buddha, Kalsang Jinpa, Dokru Tsultrim, Kunchok Tsephel Gopey Tsang and Kunga Tseyang. In PEN’s case lists alone there are over 40 writers imprisoned in China for their writings.


The British Council has emphasized that the Chinese writers are being invited for their writings in and about China, in order to broaden the understanding of Chinese literature in Britain and to promote cultural exchange between the two countries. We cannot but ask: to understand Chinese literature, should the British people rely on the recommendations by the Chinese government alone? Is there no need to learn about the authors who will never be able to get a recommendation from the government and whose works have been banned in China? Should Václav Havel have been ignored because he was imprisoned while his works had been banned by the former Czechoslovakian authorities? Should Joseph Brodsky’s creations not have been considered a part of Russian literature when he was jailed in the former Soviet Union or after he was forced into exile? Should Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie no longer be able to promote cultural exchange between the United Kingdom and India?


We believe that such a view, which the British Council is now running the risk of emphasizing, is unfair to the many writers who have been banned, imprisoned in, or exiled from China. London is the birthplace of PEN International.


It is in the British tradition of humanism to be concerned about all the writers who are politically persecuted and to promote their release from prison. It is on this basis that we sincerely request the British Council to draw attention to the situation of the writers whose works are banned in China.We have also noted that you are using the term “Chinese literature".


As the official, government approved writers generally represent the government, the official literature allowed by GAPP-PRC is only a very limited part of Chinese literature, mainly representing so-called "socialist literature with Chinese characteristics". It cannot but reflect far less than a full view of Chinese literature. Chinese literature must include independent literature, beyond official censorship and banning, heretical literature, underground literature, prison literature and exile literature.

Therefore, please do not support the Chinese government’s GAPP-PRC’s misleading presentation for British authors and readers.A society where writers have lost their human rights and professional freedom under the conditions restricted by their government is not a free society. If the British Council wishes to promote an authentic cultural exchange in a free and civilized way, please do not disregard the writers whose works are dedicated to shaping a Chinese civil society, especially those who has lost freedom and whose works have been banned by GAPP-PRC to present at the Book Fair.We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,


Signed by Independent Chinese PEN Centre


and by Trieste PEN Centre

MARCH 14th, 2012

A year ago our Friend and Past President Claudio H. Martelli passed away.
We want to remember him in this image of the 2nd Conference held in Trieste in 2007.

PEN PROTESTA !

From the PEN International website

http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/pen-protesta-writers-to-gather-at-mexico-city-event-to-denounce-violence-against-journalists/


News: PEN Protesta!

Writers to gather at Mexico City event to denounce violence against journalists
PEN International and the PEN Club de México present “PEN Protesta! In Support of Journalists and Freedom of Expression,” a public demonstration of solidarity and a demand for accountability for the murders and disappearances of journalists in Mexico on Sunday 29 January in Mexico City.


Representatives from PEN International, all seven North American PEN Centers, and PEN Centers in Europe and Asia will stand side-by-side with dozens of Mexican journalists and declare their support for a free press and freedom of expression in a series of original statements and writings crafted for the occasion. The event represents an unprecedented show of support from the international literary community in recognition of the courage and endurance of their Mexican colleagues.


Between 2000 and 2011, criminal organizations have murdered more than 67 journalists in Mexico. In recent months, these groups have killed 15 journalists, “disappeared” three, and attacked the facilities of 19 newspapers and media outlets with firearms and explosives.


Delegation members and attendees include PEN International President John Ralston Saul, Russell Banks, PEN International Secretary Hori Takeaki, PEN International Treasurer Eric Lax, Ramón Xirau, Marta Lamas, Elena Poniatowska, Javier Sicilia, Homero Aridjis, Elsa Cross, Victor Manuel Mendiola, Eduardo Lizalde, José de la Colina, and many others.


PEN members around the world are invited to support the campaign and show their solidarity. Follow updates about PEN Protesta! on Twitter and Facebook. The suggested Twitter hashtag for the event is #PENProtesta.

SEASON'S GREETINGS 2011