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| PEN Ukraine | |
|---|---|
| Name | PEN Ukraine |
| Native name | ПЕН Україна |
| Formation | 1989 |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Kyiv |
| Region served | Ukraine |
| Language | Ukrainian, Russian, English |
| Leader title | President |
PEN Ukraine is a Ukrainian chapter of an international writers' association founded to promote literature and defend freedom of expression. Based in Kyiv, it connects Ukrainian writers, poets, translators, journalists and scholars with peers across Europe, North America and beyond, while engaging with cultural institutions, human rights networks and media organizations. The organization operates amid political transformations such as the Orange Revolution and the Euromaidan movement, responding to conflicts including the Annexation of Crimea and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
PEN Ukraine traces origins to the late Soviet period and the collapse of the Soviet Union, aligning with global literary networks like International PEN and national associations such as PEN America and English PEN. Early activities intersected with the cultural revival tied to the Perestroika era and the independence of Ukraine in 1991, involving figures connected to institutions like the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Shevchenko National Prize. During the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2013–2014 Euromaidan, members engaged with civic initiatives alongside participants from Revolution on Granite, Kyiv Post, and human rights groups that later monitored events in Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast. The organization expanded its remit after the Annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, coordinating with international media such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and broadcasters like BBC News and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The chapter is governed by an elected board and presidency, drawing members from literary circles associated with institutions like the National Union of Writers of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, and cultural centers in Kharkiv and Odesa. Committees focus on translation, literary festivals, and emergency advocacy similar to programs run by Literature Across Frontiers and European Writers' Council. Administrative coordination involves partnerships with NGOs such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and local entities including Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union while liaising with diplomatic missions like the Embassy of the United Kingdom, Kyiv and the Embassy of the United States, Kyiv.
Programs include literary festivals, translation grants, residency exchanges, and public readings comparable to events held by Hay Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, and Frankfurt Book Fair. PEN Ukraine organizes campaigns responding to censorship cases like those litigated in courts connected to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and media freedom issues involving outlets such as Channel 5 (Ukraine), Inter (TV channel), and independent digital platforms. Educational initiatives engage with universities including Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and cultural institutes like the Polish Institute in Kyiv and the Goethe-Institut (Kyiv). The chapter publishes anthologies, supports translation of works by authors connected to Lesya Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko, Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, Andrey Kurkov, and fosters collaborations with publishers such as Folio (publisher), Vydavnytstvo Staryi Lev, and Krok.
Advocacy efforts focus on freedom of expression, prisoner support, and assistance to displaced writers from regions affected by the War in Donbass and the 2022 invasion. The chapter has intervened in cases brought before bodies like the European Court of Human Rights and cooperated with monitoring by Reporters Without Borders and legal NGOs involved in appeals under Ukrainian law, engaging lawyers acquainted with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. It issues statements on attacks against journalists at locations such as Boryspil International Airport and documents violations linked to events such as the MH17 downing and sieges in Mariupol and Izium.
PEN Ukraine maintains affiliations with International PEN, regional PEN centers across Central Europe, Baltic states organizations, and transatlantic partners including PEN America and Canadian Authors Association. It participates in networks like the European Writers' Council, exchanges with cultural bodies such as the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, and the French Institute in Ukraine, and collaborates on projects with university programs at Harvard University, Columbia University, and University of Oxford. Joint statements and petition campaigns have been coordinated with groups like Index on Censorship and coalitions formed during summits involving the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.
Members have included prominent figures from Ukrainian literature and public life, with links to awardees of the Shevchenko National Prize, laureates associated with the Europeana, and writers who have appeared in outlets like The New Yorker and Granta (magazine). Notable literary figures connected to the chapter encompass authors and poets such as Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, Andrey Kurkov, Yuri Andrukhovych, Ihor Borkovsky, Lyuba Yakimchuk, Irena Karpa, Natalka Sniadanko, Oleksandr Irvanets, Vasyl Makhno, Kateryna Babkina, Pavlo Rankov, Mariana Savka, Ulas Samchuk (historical), and translators active with initiatives like the New Literature from Ukraine series. Leadership positions have been held by figures with ties to cultural ministries such as the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and parliamentary committees including the Verkhovna Rada's cultural panels.
PEN Ukraine administers literary prizes, translation awards, and emergency grants comparable to honors like the European Union Prize for Literature and collaborates with publishers for anthologies featured at fairs such as the Frankfurt Book Fair and London Book Fair. The chapter produces journals, collections, and statements circulated through platforms including Ukrainska Pravda, Krytyka (magazine), and international outlets such as The Guardian and Al Jazeera. Its publications promote Ukrainian literature translated into languages linked to institutions like the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Slovak PEN Centre.
Category:Civic organizations in Ukraine Category:Ukrainian literature