PEN Lebanon is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organisation that was founded in 2012 by several Lebanese writers. It undertakes to impartially defend freedom of expression and thought as specified in Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The main goal of PEN Lebanon is to promote literature and defend the freedom of expression. It also aims at encouraging young writers by conducting workshops in partnership with other institutions of learning. It works for the creation and publication of literature by all writers. It also aims at the broadening of public taste in reading. The promotion of general literacy is high on its objectives. This is achieved by offering and participating in literary readings and discussions in partnership with educational and academic institutions, public libraries and cultural clubs.
Literature knows no frontiers and must remain common currency among people in spite of political or international upheavals.
In all circumstances, and particularly in time of war, works of art, the patrimony of humanity at large, should be left untouched by national or political passion.
Members of PEN should at all times use what influence they have in favour of good understanding and mutual respect between nations and people; they pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel all hatreds and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace and equality in one world.
PEN stands for the principle of unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations, and members pledge themselves to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression in the country and community to which they belong, as well as throughout the world wherever this is possible. PEN declares for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace. It believes that the necessary advance of the world towards a more highly organised political and economic order renders a free criticism of governments, administrations and institutions imperative. And since freedom implies voluntary restraint, members pledge themselves to oppose such evils of a free press as mendacious publication, deliberate falsehood and distortion of facts for political and personal ends.
Where did our Charter come from?
The Charter of PEN International has guided, unified and inspired its members for over 60 years. Its principles were implicit at the organisation’s founding in 1921. However, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the PEN Charter was forged amidst the harsh realities of World War Two. It was approved at the 1948 PEN Congress in Copenhagen.
تُقبل العضوية في القلم الدولي لكل كاتب أو محرر أو ناشر أو مترجم وافق على مبادئ القلم الدولي، بغض النظر عن جنسية المنتسب أو عرقه أو لغته أو لونه أو دينه.
يرتكز القلم الدولي على ميثاقه إضافة الى القرارات المعتمدة في مؤتمراته العالمية .
يؤكد القلم الدولي على أن
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– الأدب لا يعرف الحدود، وأنه يجب أن يبقى العملة المشتركة بين جميع الشعوب بالرغم من الإضطرابات السياسية والدولية.
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– يجب في جميع الأحوال، وخاصة في زمن الحرب، أن يبقى احترام التآليف الفنية، بصفتها تراثا مشتركا للإنسانية، فوق النزوات القومية والسياسية.
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– يستخدم أعضاء القلم في كل الأوقات تأثيرهم بهدف إحلال التفاهم الجيد والإحترام المتبادل بين الأمم والشعوب، ويلتزمون ببذل قصارى جهدهم من أجل تبديد أشكال الكراهية والنهوض بمثالية إنسانية واحدة تعيش في سلام ومساواة في عالم واحد.
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– يتبنى القلم مبدأ حرية انتقال الافكار داخل الوطن وبين جميع الأوطان، وعلى جميع أعضائه معارضة كل تقييد لحرية التعبير في بلده وفي جماعته، كما في العالم كله . يقف القلم في صالح صحافة حرة وضد تعسف الرقابة في زمن السلم، ويؤ كد اعتقاده بأن التقدم الضروري للعالم في اتجاه نظام سياسي واقتصادي أفضل يفرض الحاجة إلى الحرية ، وعلى كل عضو أن يلتزم بنقد والوقوف بوجه تجاوزات الحكومات والإدارات والمؤسسات. وبما أ ن الحرية تتطلب الصحافة الحرة التي تقف في وجه المتعمد الأكاذيب والتزوير وتشويه الحقائق لأغراض سياسية وشخصية.
Email us on how to become a member
Writers Unlimited, the Hague, Holland
Aaliya’s Bookshop, Gemayzeh, Beirut
American University of Beirut
The Centre for Arts and Humanities – CAH (Mellon Grant)
The Centre for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies – CAMES
Cultural Association: PEN Lebanon
Registration Number 1421/2012
Baabda Hazmieh Lebanon
email: info@penlebanon.org
Help PEN in our mission promote literature and defend the freedom of speech.
Contact info@penlebanon.org for donations or ways that you can contribute.