The PEN World Voices Literary Festival is the premier celebration of international literature in the United States, a landmark event on New York City’s, and now Los Angeles’s, cultural calendar. Join us live and in person in New York City and Los Angeles from May 11–14, 2022 for four days with more than 80 writers from 25 countries who will be featured in 30 cross-cultural exchanges and events—from lively debates that delve into the most pressing issues of our time, to intimate conversations that awaken us to the quiet beauty and power of literature. An engaging program of talks, panels, conversations, and performances draws a vibrant and diverse crowd of socially engaged and intellectually curious New Yorkers and LA audiences, who are eager to be challenged, inspired, and entertained.
Featured Events
Writing in the Country of Women: Leïla Slimani and Mieko Kawakami
13 May 2022 - 5:00 pm ET
Feminist movements across the world have made undeniably significant strides in the last century. But in spite of this, women and mothers—even in the countries considered the most liberated—must contend with their value being contingent on physical appearance, youth, and their willingness to self-efface in the company of men. Women’s rights activist and bestselling novelist... Read More
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The Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture: Novelist and PEN Ukraine President Andrey Kurkov
13 May 2022 - 6:30 pm ET
In a 2018 lecture, PEN Ukraine President Andrey Kurkov said that “democracy is not eternal if it is not supported and not monitored daily, if we do not appreciate our rights and freedoms, and if we don’t react to every attempt of the authorities or individual political forces to restrict these rights and freedoms.” Since... Read More
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World Verses: An Evening of International Poetry
13 May 2022 - 9:00 pm ET
Join poets from across the world for a momentous and far-reaching evening of poetry, from the debut work of Maori poet Tayi Tibble, who announces herself in Poukahangatus as a major new voice, to the exquisite lyricism of Paul Tran (All the Flowers Kneeling). They are joined by Greek poet Phoebe Giannisi (Cicada), Japanese novelist/poet... Read More
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Absurdity in End Times: Gary Shteyngart and Alejandro Zambra
14 May 2022 - 4:00 pm ET
How do we get through unprecedented times? Whether it’s a global pandemic, life during a ruthless regime, or a life-altering separation between family members, sometimes the greatest takeaways from our experiences are gleaned when we approach unthinkable events with an eye for humor, levity, and absurdity. In Gary Shteyngart’s recent book Our Country Friends—one of... Read More
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PEN Letters: A Centenary Celebration
14 May 2022 - 6:30 pm ET
Join us for a 100-year journey through archival letters, notes, and speeches featuring world-renowned writers as they transform an international dinner club into a global force defending free expression. Through the words of Toni Morrison, Jack Kerouac, Larry Kramer, Don DeLillo, Grace Paley, Margaret Atwood, Robert Frost, Susan Sontag, Mary McCarthy, Kurt Vonnegut, and many... Read More
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Closing Night: An Evening of Forbidden Books
14 May 2022 - 8:00 pm ET
In 1982, a year during which the Island Trees School District v. Pico case opened fervent debates around the First Amendment within American public schools, PEN America organized an evening of readings of forbidden books that brought together iconic contemporary American writers and performers—including Toni Morrison, Donald Barthelme, and Margaret Hamilton—to celebrate the vitality of... Read More
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