Australia’s National Human Rights Commissioner and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mr Tom Calma was keynote speaker at our inaugural International PEN Day of the Imprisoned Writer held on the lawns of the State Library on North Terrace in 2006. You can read his speech, ‘Freedom of Expression, Censorship and Race Relations’ here.
L- R — Eva Hornung Author; John Hill South Australian Minister for Health; Audience; Mike Ladd Poet; Sam Oshodi Drummer; Juan Garrido Poet; Jude Aquilina Poet; Yahia Al Samawi Poet; Empty Chair* ; Dave Clark and Kate Townsend Folk Musicians.
Other guest speakers included politician Nick Xenophon and SA Green’s Senator, Mark Parnell.
* The Empty Chair symbolises the many writers silenced by exile, imprisonment or death each year at International PEN Day of the Imprisoned Writer events held annually in November in over 244 Centres around the world..