Norway, Setember 04: The 70th World Congress of International PEN was held from 6th-12th September 2004 in Tromso, Norway. From the Tibetan Writers Abroad PEN Centre, Mr. Kathup Gyal ( General Secretary) and Mr. Gaitho ( Executive Member) attended it with the delegates and guests from 80 countries, of total number of about 300.
Amongst the activities of the International PEN Congress, several resolutions were adopted to promote freedoms of speech, thoughts, and writing in this World. One particular resolution was passed unanimously regarding China for the lack of freedom of speech in Tibet and East Turkestan and immediate release of Tibetan writers in prison. The resolution called the world leaders to pay more
attention on the continuous constraining of the freedom of speech by Chinese Authority on Tibetan people, for expressing their view of supporting the independence of Tibet, violating of Human Right and disrespecting the identity of Tibetan Religion and Culture.The resolution also appealed the Chinese authorities to immediately release Ven. Jampal Janchup, Ven. Jampal choejor,Ven. Ngawang Gyaltsen and Ven. Ngawang Phelshan of Drepung monastery from prison.Since Tibetan Writers Abroad PEN Centre is different from other PEN family members as we are shouldering a particular duty, our two delegates distributed pamphlets relating the Freedom of Speech in Tibet and they exchanged their views with the delegate of Chinese Abroad PEN Centre. With their best effort, they created good relationship with other PEN members from different countries.
International PEN is the only the worldwide association of writers. It exists to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere, regardless of their political or other views; to fight for freedom of expression and to defend vigorously writers suffering from oppressive regimes. PEN is strictly non-political, a Non Governmental Organization with Category A status at UNESCO. It is composed of 141 Centres from 100 countries, each of which represents its membership and not its country. PEN originally stood for Poets, Playwrights, Essayists and Novelists. However, membership is now open to all qualified writers, journalists, translators, historians and others actively engaged in any branch of literature. Regardless of nationality, language, race, color or religion, and every member is required to sign the PEN Charter and by so doing to observe its conditions
PEN committees are Writers for Peace Committee, Writers in Prison Committee, Translation and Linguistic Right Committee, Women Writers' Committee, Writers in Exile Network, International PEN Foundation, PEN Emergency Fund and Prizes.