Co-chair of the Scottish PEN Writers at Risk Committee, Lizzie Eldridge, wrote these two stories in response to the conflict in Gaza. The stories were originally published by Literary Revelations, who have given kind permission for them to be reposted here.

Scottish PEN is a signatory to this statement from PEN International, and asks our members to consider signing.

Scottish PEN is greatly distressed by reports emerging from Palestine, via the Coalition For Women In Journalism, that the shrine honouring the late Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akieh was demolished during the attacks on Jenin in the West Bank on 27th October.

The Naomi Mitchison Memorial Lecture is hosted annually by Scottish PEN and the Edwin Morgan Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. This year Hannah Lavery speaks on the subject of ‘Imagination as activism’

Scottish PEN is extremely alarmed by reports of recent events in Scotland. On 18 October, The National reported that the Scottish author, human rights campaigner and former diplomat Craig Murray had been detained by members of Police Scotland’s Border Policing Command unit under the UK’s draconian anti-terror laws.

This film by writer, Lizzie Eldridge and director, John Quinn was made in collaboration with Scottish PEN, with music by Mick MacNeil. It is their contribution to the exhibition of commemorative artworks at the Catholic Institute in Floriana, marking the six-year anniversary of her death.

Scottish PEN is extremely alarmed by recent events taking place in Malta. On Tuesday, 3 October, Robert Aquilina, the President of the anti-corruption NGO Repubblika, was abruptly called in for police questioning in relation to a press conference he gave the previous Friday, accusing the public broadcaster, PBS, of censorship. 

The Writers in Exile Committee of Scottish PEN is pleased to share the latest edition of PENning magazine, featuring poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction from Scottish and international writers.