Six Writers Withdraw from PEN Gala Over Charlie Hebdo Award

In a notable protest, six distinguished authors—Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner, and Taiye Selasi—stepped back as literary hosts from the PEN American Center's annual gala. Their decision came in response to PEN's plan to award the Freedom of Expression Courage accolade to the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo. Rachel Kushner voiced her unease regarding the magazine's advocacy of what she termed 'a kind of forced secular view.' Peter Carey condemned 'the cultural arrogance of the French nation, which fails to acknowledge its moral duty to a significant and marginalized segment of their population.' The gala is scheduled for May 5 during PEN's World Voices Festival in New York. PEN president Andrew Solomon remarked that these six were the only ones to withdraw from a larger group of literary hosts who reconsidered their involvement. This situation highlights ongoing discussions about free speech and cultural representation that arose following the 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo's Paris office.