Vision Statement of the PEN International Young Writers Committee

We, the Young Writers Committee, 

are a global constellation of young writers, creatives, and cultural changemakers, united under the banner of PEN International. With representatives from over 58 countries and countless communities - spanning every continent, language, and struggle - we represent a generation that yearns to express its experience and transform conditions for the better, but is increasingly isolated and marginalised for this. We write to question, to resist, to dream, and to build anew. We write because our voices and shared reality matter, now more than ever.   

At a time when civic spaces are shrinking all over the world, and issues that span borders call for collective action, ranging from social inequalities to the climate emergency, war and conflicts to authoritarianism, and regression of rights, including free, peaceful expression – we believe in the power of the written word to help us connect across divides and amplify each other's voices. We are the heirs of more than a centenary old tradition of literary solidarity and are committed to continuing that legacy by forging a powerful international network where young voices can be heard, nurtured, and defended.  

Our vision is rooted in freedom 

- freedom of expression, imagination, creation, identity and dissent. We believe that the right to speak and write without fear is not a luxury - it is a necessity. Yet, for many young people around the world, that right is under threat. In too many countries, youth are silenced, surveilled, or sidelined. Creative expression is censored. Voices are stifled. Dreams are deferred. We refuse to accept that as the status quo.  

There is a shared sense of pride to be found in the word youth, beyond ideologies. While it groups a highly diverse set of individuals under one label, this collective identity may be what is needed to bring us closer together, given the scale of challenges we face in the future. Our differences matter and are worth navigating so that we can be united over common struggles, the most important of which is a livable future. What better way is there than storytelling to connect over? Who better at opening up and connecting strangers than storytellers and writivists?  

We aim to connect and support young authors under 35 through mentorship, advocacy, collaborative projects, and storytelling spaces. Spaces where emerging voices can not only be heard but uplifted. Young people, and particularly young writers, are often under-supported and underrepresented. They need to be supported pre-emptively, before they face threats. 

We will build bridges where others raise walls of fear 

We will champion young voices and their initiatives, and link them to global conversations. We will stand in solidarity with those whose voices are threatened—and amplify those whose stories are just beginning. 

Our steering committee is made up of 10 bright writers from five continents. Through our global network and online platform, The Tomorrow Club, and through our regional groups, we will exchange experiences, build communities, share tools and ideas on literature, free expression, and the larger picture we are inheriting. We believe in the power of language to broaden perspectives and dialogue, and to bridge divides.  

We believe the youth are  a force changing entrenched dynamics in many countries 

From Türkiye to Belarus, Myanmar to Bangladesh, Georgia to Palestine, the youth are showing great resilience in defence of their rights and when targeted for their peaceful expression. It seems increasingly likely that youth in other countries will experience similar threats soon. We must make space for and support their collective rights and voices. Writing and creativity as tools to express and process sincere emotions, are a key to empathy, resonating and connecting with "others". As Albert Camus noted, "in the face of so much suffering, if art insists on being a luxury, it will also be a lie." 

This is not just our Committee. It is our call to action for brave young voices of Today and Tomorrow, reflecting on and questioning their conditions, and challenging the status quo through their writings. For the future we inherit—and the one we are imagining, throughout history, into being. 

Ege Dündar and Ayi Renaud Dossavi for the Young Writers Committee