After the turbulent PEN conference in May, at which Deniz Yücel resigned as President, a new PEN Berlin was founded. A press release states: “We want a new PEN. A contemporary and diverse PEN in which writers and translators of all literary and journalistic genres who write in German or live in Germany come together.”
One wants to campaign for freedom of expression and an open discourse – “without presidents and other titles, with a parity board at the top”. PEN Berlin sees itself as an NGO that stands for overcoming borders.
The founding document goes on to say that the new PEN “denounces grievances regardless of origin and attitude and helps those whose freedom of expression is threatened.”
