THE SOUTH AFRICAN CENTRE OF PEN INTERNATIONAL A World Association of Writers

P O Box 732, Constantia, 7848, Cape Town Nonprofit Organisation Registration Number 069-564-NPO SARS Tax Exemption Reference No. PBO930031735 email: rudebs@icon.co.za (Secretary), anthonyf@icon.co.za (President) www.sapen.co.za or http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-African-PEN/199301636754227?sk=wall

ABOUT SA PEN
PEN is a non-political organisation representing writers of the world, defending free expression and encouraging literature. We live by a strong PEN Charter which champions the ideal of "one humanity living in peace in one world". Is this not an ideal to uphold for all people on all continents, including Africa? Write! Africa Write! becomes a call for African writers to say what they wish to say and to eschew the divisions of the past in favour of the idea of one humanity living in peace on one continent. Originally PEN stood for Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Editors, and Novelists. A leading voice of literature, PEN now brings together poets, novelists, essayists, historians, playwrights, critics, translators, editors, journalists and screenwriters in a common concern for the craft and art of writing and a commitment to freedom of expression through the written word. Through its 146 Centres in more than 100 countries, International PEN operates on all six continents. The South African PEN Centre (SA PEN) is an Englishspeaking branch of International PEN, and was initially established in the 1950s as the PEN club. Qualification for membership of SA PEN is a recognised position as a published writer (one literary work published, or more) or a person deemed by the committee to be recognised as of sufficient standing. The committee is the final judge of any candidate for election to SA PEN. A candidate for membership is also required to agree to subscribe to the PEN Charter - copy below. If you are in agreement with the PEN Charter and would like become a member of SA PEN please send information regarding your publication/s (your literary CV) to The SA PEN Secretary at rudebs@icon.co.za or P O Box 732, Constantia, 7848. The 2012/2013 annual membership subscription is R180,00 per annum for any member in the Rand monetary area. For members outside this area dues amount to US$100,00 - to cover foreign exchange and other cost implications. These dues, renewable every October, help to cover administrative costs and the dues to be paid to PEN International annually. The rest of our expenses are covered by funds which we raise from donors who believe in and are interested in our work. Benefits of membership include: receiving a regular e-newsletter, invitations to fellow members book launches, invitations to SA PEN events, notification of forthcoming fellowships and awards, assistance in publicising members publications on the SA PEN website and knowing that by joining PEN you are contributing to advancing our mission.

WRITE! AFRICA WRITE!

SA PEN Executive Committee: Anthony Fleischer (President), Margie Orford (Executive Vice-President), Professor Geoffrey Haresnape (Vice-President), Dr. Raymond Louw (Vice-President), Tim Anderson, Dolores Fleischer (Hon. Treasurer), Dr. Justin Fox, Mandla Langa, Jeremy Lawrence, Dr. Adr Marshall, Dr. Marie Philip, Deborah Horn-Botha (Secretarial Services)

THE CHARTER OF PEN INTERNATIONAL

The PEN Charter is based on resolutions passed at its International Congresses and may be summarised as follows. PEN affirms that: Literature knows no frontiers, and should remain common currency between nations 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; they pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel race, class and national hatreds, and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace 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. Membership of PEN is open to all qualified writers, editors and translators who subscribe to these aims, without regards to nationality, language, race, colour or religion.

COMMITMENT AND GOALS OF SA PEN

SA PEN is committed to promoting the principles of the Charter of PEN International in southern Africa. It aims: to oppose oppression of writers and defend freedom of expression. to encourage the attainment of high literary standards in South Africa. to promote the interests of South African writers. to offer prizes for literary competitions. to continue searching for new writers. to reach out to southern Africa in this quest, thus forming literary bonds with these countries. to distribute regular e-newsletters to all members. to send one SA PEN delegate to a PEN International Congress annually in order to promote the South African viewpoint in the global literary debate.

Why you should join SA PEN: SA PEN membership makes you a participant in the worldwide literary community. As a member, you enable PEN to act on behalf of everyone who cares about the freedom to write and read. As a member, you provide PEN with greater credibility in its support for free expression around the world. You help PEN fight censorship. You join with PEN in encouraging readers and reading. You became an advocate for the issues at the heart of writing: free expression and the right to read and write whatever you wish. By lending your name to PEN, you support the advocacy of writers rights everywhere. The health and growth of the worldwide literary community depends upon all of us. Please become a member of SA PEN. We need you, and you need us.