Civil Society Programme
CSP Projects
"You need to write to break boundaries between you and the outside world, and reach places you had never dreamt you would ever go." Bob Kisiki, poetry facilitator, PEN Uganda Civil Society Project
CSP projects focus on working within marginalised communities – including those most socially and economically disadvantaged because of their gender, race, ethnicity and other factors, to promote tolerance, social cohesion, as well as democratic participation.
The CSP offers a wide set of training tools, designed to equip PEN Centres with practical resources for carrying out our mission in their communities. This includes webinars on topics such as youth engagement, gender and diversity, social media strategy and campaign planning.
Our webinars and training videos are available in both English and Spanish on our YouTube channel.
Click here to access our training toolkits and other resources.
CSP Training
Promoting Literature Through Education
We aim to empower communities across all languages and cultures through reading and writing. Our education policy highlights the transformative power of literature in expanding horizons and fostering vibrant, flourishing societies.
This recent video, created by PEN Afrikaans, features authors Crystal-Donna Roberts, Joha van Dyk, and Ashwin Arendse sharing their thoughts on the importance of reading and writing in South Africa, as well as their advice for young writers.
PEN Afrikaans, established in 1994, champions Afrikaans literature and freedom of expression.
PEN Afrikaans: On Reading and Writing
PEN Guatemala: PEN Podcast
As part of our Civil Society Programme, PEN International is proud to support the launch of PEN Guatemala’s new podcast, a powerful platform bringing literature and freedom of expression to audiences across the region.
The PEN Podcast features conversations with writers, journalists, and cultural workers in Guatemala and beyond, exploring how they navigate and respond to the challenges facing their communities.