PEN President Events

May 26, 2015 – JRS to Speak at the Opening Ceremony of the Biennial PEN International Writers in Prison Committee Conference – Amsterdam, The Netherlands. May 26, 2015 - JRS to Speak at the Opening Ceremony of the Biennial PEN International Writers in Prison Committee Conference - Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
May 26-29, 2015 – JRS to attend the Biennial PEN International Writers in Prison Committee Conference – Amsterdam, The Netherlands. May 26-29, 2015 - JRS to attend the Biennial PEN International Writers in Prison Committee Conference - Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
May 17, 2015 – JRS to take part in the PEN Podium of the 37th Literature Days literary festival to discuss freedom of expression after Charlie Hebdo and the current situation in places such as Syria, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico and Honduras. Solothurn, Switzerland. Click on the headline to be directed to the link.
May 16, 2015 – JRS to take part in panel, “Literature in a Time of Crisis” in the 37th Literature Days literary festival.. Participants include Yari Bernasconi, Marica Bodrožić, Martin R. Dean, Pedro Lenz, Jérôme Meizoz, Ruth Schweikert. Ariane von Graffenried. Solothurn. Switzerland Click on the headline to be directed to the link:
May 06, 2015 – JRS to attend the PEN International Writers for Peace Committee Meeting in Bled, Slovenia. May 06, 2015 - JRS to attend the PEN International Writers for Peace Committee Meeting in Bled, Slovenia.
May 06, 2015 – JRS to meet with the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahour together with Hori Takeaki, Evald Flisar, Tone Peršak, Edvard Kovač, and Andrei Kurkov – Ljubljana, Slovenia May 06, 2015 - JRS to meet with the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahour together with Hori Takeaki, Evald Flisar, Tone Peršak, Edvard Kovač, and Andrei Kurkov - Ljubljana, Slovenia
Wednesday April 15th, 2015 – JRS to take part in a PEN International roundtable at the European Parliament with Josef Haslinger, Tahmima Anam, Kamila Shamsie, Emine Sevgi Özdamar, discussing “Freedom of Expression in a Time of Crisis” Chaired by Josep Maria Terricabras. Brussels, Belgium Click on headline to be directed to the PEN International press release:

News & Statements

November 23, 2023 – JRS talks with Haroon Siddiqui about his new book “My Name is Not Harry” At The Ismaili Centre in Toronto, JRS joined Haroon Siddiqui, editorial page editor emeritus of the Toronto Star and former President of PEN Canada, in conversation about Siddiqui’s new book My Name is Not Harry. “Veteran Toronto Star editor Haroon Siddiqui, brown and Muslim, has spent a life on the media front lines, covering conflicts both ...
June 9, 2023 – JRS awarded honorary Doctor of Laws by Ontario Tech University “In recognition of his award-winning contributions to Canadian literature, his philosophies on social justice, interdisciplinary study, freedom of expression, and championing of Indigenous rights, the university proudly confers upon Mr. John Ralston Saul the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.”
October 27, 2022 – READ JRS in “Write” magazine about renaming the Governor General’s Literary Awards JRS is joined by Eugene Benson, Zilla Jones, Rick Revelle and Anna Marie Sewell in contributing their perspectives on whether it is time to rename the Governor General’s Literary Awards for the Fall 2022 issue of Write. Write is The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) quarterly magazine available exclusively to its members. If you are a ...
October 23, 2022 – WATCH JRS speak about freedom of expression at the Ageless Film Festival JRS is joined by The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Louise Dennys, Sturla Gunnarsson, Deepa Mehta, Ric Young and Bob Rae to talk about freedom of expression at The Ageless Film Festival in Toronto.
September 28, 2022 – READ JRS on the attack on Salman Rushdie and the pressures against free expression This piece was adapted from JRS’s opening remarks made at the reading of Rushdie’s work at the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) at Harbourfront Centre on Sept. 27, 2022.
September 27, 2022 – JRS delivers opening remarks at TIFA’s “Freedom to Write and to Read: Standing with Salman Rushdie” Following the brutal attack on Salman Rushdie, JRS delivered the opening remarks at an event co-organized by the Toronto International Festival of Authors, PEN Canada, Penguin Random House Canada and Writers’ Trust of Canada. JRS’s remarks were followed by a solidarity reading from Rushdie’s works by Margaret Atwood, The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, John Irving, Ian ...
September 24, 2021 – READ JRS’s remarks at the PEN International Centenary Congress JRS delivered the keynote address at the PEN International Centenary Congress in September 2021. JRS spoke about his time as International President (2009-2015) and the continuing importance of PEN’s work fighting for freedom of expression, the rights of writers (including, crucially, those in prison or exile) and support for Indigenous and minority languages.

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