Numerous writers have taken a stand against the ongoing Israeli violence in Gaza by withdrawing from the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature.
"This failure is particularly striking in light of the extraordinary toll this catastrophe has taken in the cultural sphere," the protesting writers stated.
Renowned authors such as Namoi Klein, Michelle Alexander, Hisham Matar, and others have decided to boycott the festival due to its failure to address the Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
In a letter released two days prior to the report by The Daily Beast on March 15, the writers expressed their concerns about the festival's silence on the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
In a letter released two days prior to the report by The Daily Beast on March 15, the writers expressed their concerns about the festival's silence on the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The letter highlighted Israel's deliberate targeting and assassination of journalists, poets, and writers, labeling it as a severe violation of human rights.
The writers emphasized that the festival's lack of condemnation for the Israeli attacks on cultural institutions in Palestine, including universities and libraries, amounts to a form of "cultural genocide"
The writers emphasized that the festival's lack of condemnation for the Israeli attacks on cultural institutions in Palestine, including universities and libraries, amounts to a form of "cultural genocide"
They stressed that the festival's refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza is a betrayal of its core values.
"This failure is particularly striking in light of the extraordinary toll this catastrophe has taken in the cultural sphere," the protesting writers stated.
The decision to withdraw from the festival underscores their commitment to standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemning the ongoing violence perpetrated by Israel.
The writers' boycott serves as a powerful statement against the injustice and violence that continue to ravage Gaza.
The writers' boycott serves as a powerful statement against the injustice and violence that continue to ravage Gaza.
