Slovene PEN Centre

The Slovene PEN Centre (Slovene: Slovenski center PEN; also known as PEN Slovenija) is the Slovenian national centre of PEN International, the worldwide association of writers founded to promote literature and defend freedom of expression. It brings together Slovenian writers, poets, dramatists, essayists, critics, translators and publishers who have earned a reputation through their work. The centre was established in 1926, with founding members including Izidor Cankar, Josip Vidmar, France Stele, Fran Saleški Finžgar, Prežihov Voranc, France Koblar, France Bevk and Janko Lavrin; its first president was the poet Oton Župančič. Before the Second World War the centre intervened in defence of persecuted writers and was among the early initiators of international condemnation of fascism and Nazism, notably at the 1933 Dubrovnik congress. It did not operate during the war and was re-established in 1962. Three years later, in 1965, it organised the PEN World Congress in Bled, the first such congress to include writers from the Soviet Union. Since its early years the centre has also organised the Bled Meetings, an annual international gathering of writers co-organised with the Writers' Committee for Peace, which has gained worldwide renown. After the Second World War the centre focused on violations of freedom of expression and on the concerns of Slovene minorities in neighbouring countries. The centre is open to established Slovenian literary professionals. New members must sign the PEN International charter; applicants are proposed by two existing members who have read at least one of their works, and the administrative committee accepts or rejects them by secret ballot, with appeal possible at the members' assembly. The centre's presidency has been held by figures such as Oton Župančič, Matej Bor, Mira Mihelič, Filip Kumbatovič-Kalan, Miloš Mikeln, Drago Jančar, Boris A. Novak, Marko Kravos, Veno Taufer, Tone Peršak and Marjan Strojan. Although PEN's guiding principle is political non-alignment, the Slovene centre has at times been drawn into political controversy. In 2011 it expelled its member Janez Janša over his stance on human-rights violations and his statements about street-protest participants; the expulsion prompted several members, including Boris Pahor, Drago Jančar, Anton Stres, Jože Snoj, Dimitrij Rupel and Andrej Capuder, to resign in disagreement. The centre remains active, publishing news and statements on its website, including announcements of new leadership and obituaries of members.

The Slovene PEN Centre was established in 1926 as the Slovenian national centre of PEN International. Its founding members were Izidor Cankar, Josip Vidmar, France Stele, Fran Saleški Finžgar, Prežihov Voranc, France Koblar, France Bevk and Janko Lavrin, and the poet Oton Župančič became its first president. In the period before the Second World War the centre intervened in defence of persecuted writers and was one of the early initiators of international condemnation of fascism and Nazism, notably during the 1933 congress in Dubrovnik. During the Second World War the centre did not function. It was re-established in 1962. Three years later, in 1965, it organised the PEN World Congress in Bled; this congress was notable for being the first in which writers from the Soviet Union participated. From its early years the centre also organised the Bled Meetings, international gatherings of writers that gained worldwide fame. After the Second World War the centre concerned itself with violations of freedom of expression and with the situation of Slovene minorities in neighbouring countries. The centre's presidency has passed through a long line of Slovenian literary figures. The list of presidents from 1962 to 2013 includes Oton Župančič, Matej Bor, Mira Mihelič (who also served as vice-president of PEN International), Filip Kumbatovič-Kalan, Miloš Mikeln, Drago Jančar, Boris A. Novak (who from 2002 was also vice-president of PEN International), Marko Kravos, Veno Taufer, Tone Peršak and Marjan Strojan, the president as of 2013. Membership is open to Slovenian writers, poets, dramatists, essayists, critics, translators and publishers who have earned a reputation through their work. New members must sign the international PEN charter. Aspiring writers who wish to join must be presented by two existing PEN members who have read at least one of their works; the administrative committee then accepts or rejects the candidate by secret ballot. A rejected candidate may appeal at the members' assembly, whose decision is final, and may reapply six months after rejection. The Bled Meetings are an annual international event organised by the Slovene PEN Centre and the Writers' Committee for Peace. Bled was chosen because it is an emblematic place in Slovenian literature, as the poet France Prešeren wrote in his poem Krst pri Savici. These meetings are not exclusively literary; frequent topics also include political and military conflicts, such as events in Israel, Palestine and Iraq. Each year Bled thus becomes a place of dialogue and the search for common positions. PEN's guiding principle is that the centre should have no political affiliation, but in recent years this has not been of great importance. In 2011 the Slovene PEN expelled its member Janez Janša. The reasons given by PEN were his attitude toward human-rights violations and his statements about participants in street protests. His expulsion provoked a small revolution within the Slovene PEN Centre: to express disagreement with the decision, some members resigned, including Boris Pahor, Drago Jančar, Anton Stres, Jože Snoj, Dimitrij Rupel and Andrej Capuder. The centre continues to operate and publishes news, statements and obituaries on its website, including the announcement of new leadership in September 2026.

• 2026

  New leadership of the Slovene PEN Centre announced (22 September 2026).

• 2011

  Centre expels member Janez Janša; several members resign in protest.

• 1965

  Centre organises the PEN World Congress in Bled, the first to include Soviet writers.

• 1962

  Centre re-established after the Second World War.

• 1933

  Centre participates in the Dubrovnik congress, one of the early international condemnations of fascism and Nazism.

• 1926

  Slovene PEN Centre established; Oton Župančič becomes first president.

National centre of PEN International defending freedom of expression and promoting Slovenian literature.

• Bled Meetings (Blejska srečanja)

  Annual international writers' meetings organised with the Writers' Committee for Peace.

• PEN World Congress 1965

  World congress held in Bled, first to include Soviet writers.

• Cankar Award (Cankarjeva nagrada)

  Literary award listed among the centre's activities.

1. 1PEN Slovenija - združenje pisateljevpenslovenia-zdruzenje.si
2. 2Slovene PEN Centre - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Centro PEN esloveno - Wikipediaes.wikipedia.org