Dear members and fellow travellers
As I write to you, many South Asian communities are marking the beginning of a new year, guided by their lunar calendars. From Myanmar to Nepal, Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, and across many parts of India, these celebrations share a spirit of renewal, reflection, and optimism. May the year ahead bring fresh energy, health, and hope to us all.
In that spirit, we recently welcomed to Perth, prominent Burmese author and activist, and Chair of PEN International’s Writers at Risk Committee, Dr Ma Thida. In an inspiring address, at Murdoch University, she called for greater international attention to the crisis in Myanmar, which she described as ‘not a civil war, but a struggle for ethnic equality and broad-based democracy.’
It has been a privilege to work with Perth’s vibrant Myanmar community and our university partners, Murdoch and Curtin, as well as the Centre for Stories, to bring Dr Thida’s voice to local audiences.
I will be on leave for three months from 9 May, taking some time to cycle along the River Elbe, and along the way, hoping to connect with PEN activists in Berlin and Prague.
In my absence, Dr Vivienne Glance will lead the work of your PEN Perth committee, supported by co-chair Professor Helene Jacomard.
I look forward to seeing many of you at our AGM in August.
With renewed hope for peace and solidarity,
– Krishna Sen, PEN Perth Chair
penperth.com 