The International PEN Poem Relay Ends with Global Call for Freedom of Expression in China

• PEN Poem Relay Sends “Poetic Petition” to the Chinese Authorities
• 127 Translations into 100 Languages Produced
• Book of the PEN Poem Relay to be Published

http://www.penpoemrelay.org

In the final countdown to the Beijing Olympics, the International PEN Poem Relay has sent
a “Poetic Petition” to the Chinese authorities, including all the translations of Shi Tao’s
poem “June” produced as part of this historic poetic journey around the world.
Writers and poets around the world produced 125 translations of “June” into 98 languages.
The poem travelled to 65 countries during the four and half month virtual relay, which can
still be viewed at http://www.penpoemrelay.org. (See Press Kit for list of languages and translators.)
The International PEN Poem Relay centred on the poem “June” by the imprisoned poet
and journalist Shi Tao and sought to raise awareness about freedom of expression in
China in a uniquely PEN way – through poetry and translation.
Shi Tao is serving a 10-year sentence in prison on the charge of “revealing state secrets
abroad”. He was convicted for an email he sent to an overseas website using a Yahoo!
email account after Yahoo! provided the Chinese authorities with his identity.
The poem “June” is a meditation on the tragedy of the military crackdown on the Tiananmen
Square protests in June 4, 1989, which remains a censored topic in China. (Please
see the attachment for more about Shi Tao and to read the poem.)
Organisers of the PEN Poem relay will send copies of all 125 translations to the Chinese
authorities along with a statement calling for the immediate and unconditional release of
Shi Tao and all writers in prison in China. (See Press Kit for Poetic Petition cover letter
to Hu Jintao.)
“These translations represent the solidarity writers and poets around the world have with
Shi Tao and all of the writers in prison in China,” said Chip Rolley of Sydney PEN, coorganiser
of the PEN Poem Relay and translator of the poem to English. “Each act of
translation is a call for freedom of expression in China.”
“The Relay surpassed our expectations,” said Swiss German PEN’s Kristin Schnider, also
one of the organizers of the relay. “Shi Tao’s poem ‘June’ was and is a torch in its own
right.”
Organisers of the Relay expressed deep concern about China’s continuing control of writers’
expression.
“While this poem’s journey in and out of 98 languages shows the world’s concern about
the fate of these writers in prison in China, in the lead up to the Olympics, the authorities in
Beijing have only tightened their grip on expression,” said Chip Rolley.
“Shi Tao’s case is a great way to examine the sincerity of Beijing’s promise of press freedom
in China,” noted Yu Zhang, the Coordinator of the Writers in Prison Committee of Independent
Chinese PEN Centre and one of the organizers of the relay. “As long as Shi
Tao and other writers and journalists on PEN’s case list are still behind bars, his poem
‘June’ will be a reminder of the reality behind the Beijing Olympic motto ‘One World, One
Dream’.”
* * *
In a further development, P.E.N. Club of Austria, in cooperation with the PEN Poem Relay
organisers, is producing a book documenting the International PEN Poem Relay. Helmuth
Niederle, Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee of P.E.N. Club Austria is editing and
publishing the book, which will include all translation texts of the poem “June”.
International PEN Poem Relay is a Joint action by the Sydney, Independent Chinese and
Swiss German PEN Centres on behalf of International PEN.
Available for interview:
Chip Rolley
Sydney PEN
In US until 15 August: GMT -7 hours
In Australia: GMT +11 hours
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
mobile: +61 415 615 489
Kristin T. Schnider
Swiss German PEN Centre
In Switzerland, GMT +1 hour
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
tel: +41 +41 885 02 40
mobile: +41 76 371 09 26
Yu Zhang
Independent Chinese PEN Centre
In Sweden, GMT +1 hour
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
+46-8-50022792