As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to plague the Eastern European country, several notable figures from around the world have expressed concern. The ongoing war in the country has left many Ukrainians homeless and have sought shelter in bunkers and cellars. Amid mounting tensions in the Eastern European region, notable authors and literary figures have issued a statement condemning the war.
Signed by more than 1,000 writers from around the world, the open letter released Sunday by PEN International showed solidarity with writers, journalists, artists and the people of Ukraine, condemning the Russian invasion and calling for an immediate end to it. the bloodshed. The signatories include Nobel laureates Orhan Pamuk, Svetlana Alexievich and Olga Tokarczuk, as well as Jonathan Franzen, Colm Tóibín and Elif Shafak.
Booker Prize winners Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie also signed the letter saying that the signatories are “dismayed by the violence unleashed by Russian forces against Ukraine”. Zimbabwean author and winner of the 2021 PEN International Award for Freedom of Expression, Tsitsi Dangarembga, is also one of the notable signatories.
The open letter also states: “We stand united in condemning a senseless war waged by President Putin’s refusal to accept the rights of the Ukrainian people to debate their future loyalty and history without interference from Moscow. ” The signatories have also expressed their support for writers, journalists, artists and all people in Ukraine who are “living through their darkest hours”.
The unprecedented open letter from 1,000 authors around the world also added: “All individuals have the right to peace, free speech and free assembly. Putin’s war is an attack on democracy and freedom, not just in Ukraine, but around the world. We are united in our call for peace and an end to the propaganda that fuels violence. There cannot be a free and secure Europe without a free and independent Ukraine.”
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