PEN Ukraine

PEN Ukraine is the Ukrainian national center within the International PEN network, a global association historically associated with poets, playwrights, essayists and novelists. Established in the autumn of 1989 within the Writers' Union of Ukraine, the organization was created during a period of major political and cultural change and became a platform for defending literary independence, freedom of speech and the rights of authors. Poet Mykola Vinhranovsky was elected its first president. The organization operates as a nonprofit association rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its work combines cultural programming with public advocacy. PEN Ukraine supports Ukrainian writers, journalists, translators, publishers, scholars and cultural managers; promotes Ukrainian books and ideas abroad; organizes discussions, readings, conferences and literary residences; and speaks publicly on censorship, political repression, occupation and the detention of writers and journalists. Although the acronym PEN originated in a membership model focused on poets, playwrights, essayists and novelists, PEN Ukraine accepts people from a broader range of literary, journalistic, academic, artistic and human-rights backgrounds who share the organization’s charter and values. Governance is based on a General Assembly, which elects an executive board of eight members. The board is headed by a president and two vice presidents, while an executive director manages day-to-day operations. Membership admission requires support from existing members and approval by the Executive Council. The reference material describes the organization as having approximately 140 members, including writers, translators, journalists, publishers, human-rights defenders and cultural professionals. Funding is based on member contributions and support from individual donors. PEN Ukraine’s international role has expanded through participation in International PEN congresses, cooperation with other national centers, and advocacy before international writers-in-prison and refuge networks. Ukraine hosted the International PEN Congress in Lviv in 2017, the first time the global congress had taken place in the country. The organization has also hosted or facilitated visits by international PEN leaders and worked to present issues related to Crimea, Ukrainian political prisoners and the security of journalists to foreign audiences. Its cultural portfolio includes the Vasyl Stus Prize, the Yurii Shevelov Prize for essays, the Georgiy Gongadze Prize for journalism and the Drahomán Prize for translation from Ukrainian. Other initiatives have included the PEN Discussion Club, regional literary conferences, literary readings in Ukrainian towns, the Kharkiv Literary Residence and translation grants for works by Ukrainian authors, including Oleg Sentsov. In 2019, PEN Ukraine became a partner of the European Union Prize for Literature and acquired a role in forming the Ukrainian national jury. Since Russia’s occupation of Crimea and the outbreak of war in eastern Ukraine, PEN Ukraine has increasingly combined literary work with international advocacy. It has issued statements concerning repression, minority rights, imprisoned writers and journalists, and the protection of Ukrainian cultural identity. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the organization’s public mission remains closely connected with documenting threats to cultural freedom and communicating Ukrainian perspectives to international literary and human-rights communities.

PEN Ukraine was formed in the autumn of 1989 within the Writers’ Union of Ukraine and became the Ukrainian national center of International PEN. Its first president was poet Mykola Vinhranovsky. The organization emerged at the end of the Soviet period, when questions of cultural autonomy, literary freedom and national identity were becoming increasingly prominent. Over time, its membership expanded beyond writers to include translators, journalists, publishers, scholars, artists, cultural managers and human-rights activists. The organization’s governance follows a representative association model. A General Assembly elects an executive board, which is led by a president and supported by vice presidents and an executive director. New members are admitted through a process requiring recommendations from existing members, submission of biographical and bibliographical information, and approval by the Executive Council. PEN Ukraine is funded through member contributions and donations rather than commercial sales. During the 2010s, PEN Ukraine strengthened its international profile. Its representatives attended International PEN congresses in South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Galicia and India, and the organization brought international PEN officials to Ukraine. In 2017, Lviv hosted the International PEN Congress, the first such congress held in Ukraine. PEN Ukraine also raised international awareness of the occupation of Crimea, political repression, attacks on freedom of expression and the imprisonment of Ukrainian writers and journalists. Its cultural programming developed alongside its advocacy. The organization supported literary readings outside major urban centers, established discussion programs and regional conferences, and helped create the Kharkiv Literary Residence for Ukrainian prose writers and translators. It also developed translation support, including grants connected with translations of Oleg Sentsov’s short stories. Its awards program became a major part of its public identity: the Vasyl Stus Prize honors a significant contribution to Ukrainian culture and civic commitment; the Yurii Shevelov Prize recognizes notable essay writing; the Georgiy Gongadze Prize honors independent and socially consequential journalism; and the Drahomán Prize recognizes high-quality translation from Ukrainian. PEN Ukraine’s human-rights work has included statements about escalating violence, repression in Crimea, minority rights and political prisoners. In 2018, it joined the Center for Civil Liberties in a rally supporting filmmaker and writer Oleg Sentsov during his hunger strike, and later participated in an Empty Chairs action for Ukrainian political prisoners and other imprisoned writers. The organization has also presented Ukrainian concerns to the Writers in Prison Committee and the International Cities of Refuge Network. Leadership passed from Mykola Vinhranovsky to Yevhen Sverstiuk, Myroslav Marynovych, Mykola Riabchuk, Andrey Kurkov and, from 2022, Volodymyr Yermolenko. In parallel, PEN Ukraine has continued to combine literary institution-building with public defense of freedom of expression. Its role became especially significant as Russia’s war against Ukraine intensified, because the organization provides an established channel through which Ukrainian authors, cultural workers and civic concerns can reach international audiences.

• 2022

  Volodymyr Yermolenko becomes president

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  Volodymyr Yermolenko succeeds Andrey Kurkov as president of PEN Ukraine.

• 2020

  Drahomán Prize is launched

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  PEN Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute and the Ukrainian Book Institute establish a prize for translation from Ukrainian.

• 2019

  PEN Ukraine partners with the European Union Prize for Literature

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  The organization receives a role in the Ukrainian national selection process for the European Union Prize for Literature.

• 2018

  Translation grants support Oleg Sentsov’s work

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  PEN Ukraine supports translation competitions for an Oleg Sentsov short-story collection in English, German and Polish.

• 2017

  International PEN Congress is held in Lviv

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  Ukraine hosts the global International PEN Congress for the first time.

• 2013

  Yurii Shevelov Prize is established

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  PEN Ukraine joins the founding structure of an annual prize for Ukrainian essays, together with Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, Duh i Litera and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

• 1989

  Ukrainian PEN is established

  [1]PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org

  The Ukrainian Center for International PEN is founded within the Writers’ Union of Ukraine, with Mykola Vinhranovsky as its first president.

A Ukrainian literary and civic organization linking cultural production, freedom-of-expression advocacy, author support and international cultural diplomacy.

• Literary and cultural award · 1989

  Vasyl Stus Prize

  An annual distinction honoring a Ukrainian writer, artist or director for a substantial contribution to Ukrainian culture and a strong civic position. The prize continues a tradition begun in 1989 by the Ukrainian Association of Independent Creative Intelligence and is administered by PEN Ukraine with partner support.

• Essay prize · 2013

  Yurii Shevelov Prize

  An annual award for a Ukrainian author of an important artistic or scholarly essay published during the preceding year. It was created in 2013 and is presented around Yurii Shevelov’s birthday, recognizing the continuing role of essay writing in Ukrainian intellectual culture.

• Journalism award

  Georgiy Gongadze Prize

  An annual journalism prize established by PEN Ukraine with the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School alumni association and Ukrayinska Pravda. It recognizes independent journalism marked by professionalism, innovation, social relevance and a capacity to improve public understanding or contribute to change.

• Translation award · 2020

  Drahomán Prize

  An international prize for translators of Ukrainian literary or documentary works. It recognizes outstanding translation and the international promotion of Ukrainian literature and was established by PEN Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute and the Ukrainian Book Institute.

• Literary residency

  Kharkiv Literary Residence

  A residency for Ukrainian prose writers and translators created to support sustained creative work while introducing participants to Kharkiv and its cultural life. Participants spend an extended period in the city developing literary projects and engaging with local cultural contexts.

• Public discussion program

  PEN Discussion Club

  A forum for conversations about current cultural, literary and civic questions. The club also provides a setting for discussing media projects and topics connected with freedom of expression and public life.

• 2018Solidarity with Oleg Sentsov

  Ukraine

  PEN Ukraine and the Center for Civil Liberties organized a rally near the Russian Embassy in Kyiv on the 100th day of Oleg Sentsov’s hunger strike, drawing attention to his imprisonment and the wider issue of Ukrainian political prisoners.

  Outcome. The action amplified calls for Sentsov’s release and connected literary and cultural advocacy with international human-rights campaigning.

  Source
• 2018Empty Chairs campaign

  Ukraine · International advocacy

  On International Day of the Imprisoned Writer, PEN Ukraine and the Center for Civil Liberties held an Empty Chairs action in support of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and Crimea and prisoners in the self-proclaimed entities in eastern Ukraine.

  Outcome. The campaign used a symbolic public event to maintain visibility for imprisoned writers, journalists and civic activists.

  Source
• Literary Readings in the Towns of Ukraine

  Ukraine

  A program bringing literary readings beyond the largest Ukrainian cultural centers and connecting authors with audiences in regional towns.

  Outcome. The program broadened access to literary events and supported a more geographically distributed cultural conversation.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch the Drahomán PrizeProduct launch

  Background

  The international circulation of Ukrainian literature depends on skilled translators and sustained institutional support for translation.

  Action taken

  PEN Ukraine joined the Ukrainian Institute and the Ukrainian Book Institute in creating an international award for translation from Ukrainian.

  Aftermath

  The prize created a dedicated public platform for translators and reinforced the organization’s literary diplomacy mission.

  Source

• 2019

  Join the European Union Prize for Literature partnershipStrategy

  Background

  PEN Ukraine sought to strengthen the international visibility of Ukrainian authors and deepen institutional links with European literary networks.

  Action taken

  The organization became a Ukrainian partner of the European Union Prize for Literature and took part in forming the national jury and selecting the Ukrainian recipient.

  Aftermath

  The partnership expanded PEN Ukraine’s role in international literary recognition and cultural exchange.

  Source

1. 1PEN Ukraineen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official PEN Ukraine websitepen.org.ua