PEN International named charity partner of The Hope Prize 2026
25 June 2026: PEN International is delighted to partner with The Hope Prize and, alongside the PEN Emergency Fund, to be recipientof royalties from the 2026 competition.
The Hope Prize is a global short story competition open to writers from around the world. Launched in Australia in 2016 with judges Cate Blanchett and Kate Grenville, and in partnership with Simon & Schuster and Readings. , iIt was founded on the belief that storytelling is a force for empathy and action. In 2026, the prize welcomes Elif Shafak to its judging panel.
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and a longstanding supporter of PEN International. A member of English PEN, she is a vocal advocate for freedom of expression, women’s rights and marginalised voices. She has supported PEN International’s campaigns, participated in our Annual Congresses, contributed to fundraising initiatives, and spoken at PEN events on writers at risk, climate justice and the role of literature in challenging political polarisation.
Established in 1971, the PEN Emergency Fund provides urgent financial support to writers, journalists, editors and publishers who face serious persecution because of their work. Managed from the Netherlands, the fund offers rapid, one-time grants to help cover essential needs such as safe relocation, medical treatment and basic living costs in exile. Over the years PEN International and the PEN Emergency Fund have supported hundreds of writers at risk from around the world, including Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Türkiye and Ukraine.
The fund awards grants to assist writers and their families during periods of acute crisis. Support is reserved for literary and media professionals whose safety, freedom or livelihood has been jeopardised as a direct consequence of their writing or publishing activities.
Note to Editors
For media queries, please contact: Sabrina Tucci, Head of Communications and Campaigns, PEN International: [email protected]
For more information about The Hope Prize visit https://www.thehopeprize.com/