Day of the imprisoned writer

Join us for a conversation on Zoom about the future of journalism in Australia as more whistleblowers are being prosecuted and jailed.

We stand with Mary Kostakidis

PEN Sydney is concerned by the Zionist Federation of Australia’s referral of Mary Kostakidis to the Human Rights Commission. PEN Read our statement.

We are moving to Threads

We are leaving the social media platform X because of the hate and disinformation that proliferates there.

Freedom to write
freedom to read

PEN Sydney has been protecting freedom of expression for more than 90 years. We also defend writers here and around the globe who are at risk of being silenced.

With the support of our members – a community of writers, readers, translators and activists – we celebrate writing in all its forms through our public conversations, publications and activism.

We are an affiliate of PEN International and are inspired by their charter, which states Literature knows no frontiers.

News & Media

facing the anaconda

facing the anaconda

The stakes were high for memoir writer Qin Qin  as she struggled with the unwritten red lines of the Chinese government's censorhip pen.‘I’m...

Remembering Sarah Hegazi

Remembering Sarah Hegazi

After waving a rainbow flag at a Mashrou' Leila concert in Cairo a young woman is tortured. The band are censored and harrassed right across The...

the german shibboleth

the german shibboleth

Partners in Crime - Political philosopher John Keane writes for PEN Sydney on Germany's historical relationship with Israel and censorship of...

The PEN Sydney magazine has compelling articles about freedom of expression, the imprisonment of writers and journalists, the literary world and original fiction and poetry.

It’s published twice a year in print and online and distributed for free to PEN Sydney members and at writers’ festivals and bookshops.

FROM OUR WRITERS

PEN Sydney works to free writers who are at risk of being silenced. Their words and courage give us the motivation to continue.

“The role that writers can play in times of uncertainty, diligently curating narratives to nourish empathy, encompassing glimpses of joy and ultimately offering the gift of hope, lacks formal recognition, and this lack of acknowledgement or coherent protections can ultimately decimate expression and propel rampant self-censorship.”

Ma Thida

A Burmese human rights activist, surgeon and writer. She spent six years in Burma’s Insein prison for her pro-democracy activism. She has published 26 books, including her prison memoir Prisoner of Conscience; My Steps through Insein and A-maze both available in English. She is the Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison committee

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Join our community of writers, readers, translators and activists and help us protect the basic human right to freedom of expression. 

You’ll receive; the PEN Sydney magazine and newsletter, early tickets to our events and the opportunity to participate in our activities, such as letter writing campaigns. 

Your annual membership is tax deductible.

Concession Pen

$40 a year

Pen Membership

$80 a year

Corporate Pen

$250 a year

help us make a difference

Why support PEN Sydney?

We’ve been celebrating the written word and defending freedom of expression for 90 years, and we want to continue to do that for many more to come. But our work can only continue thanks to the generosity of our donors, whose support allows us to keep going.

Every day writers are detained, harassed or even killed for their work.  With your help, we’ll continue to stand up for writers facing persecution around the world, work to ensure that everyone has the right to share their ideas and views and champion Australian and international writing.

Make a tax deductible donation today.

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