President
Management Committee
Writers Advisory Panel
Bonny Cassidy
Vice Presidents
Michael Fraser AM
Sandy Symons
Treasurer
Peter Eichhorn
Secretary
Simeon Beckett
Debra Adelaide
Carol Dettmann
Gail Jones
Christopher Michaelsen
Susie Eisenhuth
Geraldine Brooks
J.M. Coetzee
Tim Flannery
Helen Garner
Kate Grenville
Tom Keneally AO
Frank Moorhouse AM
David Malouf AO
John Tranter
David Williamson AO
freedom to write…
freedom to read
International PEN Sydney Centre Inc.
ABN: 51 796 241 535
Trading as:
Sydney PEN & International PEN Australian Centre
5 Blackfriars St, Chippendale NSW 2008
t: 1300 364 997 f: 02 9319 0141
Media release
27 October 2010
JULIAN BURNSIDE TO MARK INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER
Sydney PEN will mark the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer with a lecture by Julian
Burnside AO QC on how the freedom to write and read has changed in recent times.
Burnside will discuss whether or not the instances of threatened, detained or imprisoned writers
have improved internationally over the last 50 years.
Sydney PEN President Dr Bonny Cassidy said he would focus on what these changes have to
do with Australia.
“Burnside will use the 50th Anniversary of the PEN International Writers in Prison program as a
starting point for exploring what freedom of expression means in Australia and our region,” she
said.
Burnside is a Melbourne-based barrister, human rights and refugee advocate, and author. He
has spoken out against the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, and has provided legal
counsel in a wide array of high-profile cases.
“He will bring his experience as a human rights advocate and of course as a writer to look at how
the reality and our perception of freedom of expression have developed.”
Dr Cassidy said Sydney PEN was holding activities around the country through the week of
November 15th, culminating in the Burnside special Sydney event on November 19th.
“A dozen state libraries, universities and other institutions around Australia are taking part in
Sydney PEN’s postcard campaign for five writers currently imprisoned in regions of China,” she
said.
“The public will find booths at these venues where the postcards created by Sydney PEN can be
signed and dropped, to be sent by PEN to each writer in late November.
Participating partners are: UTS Library and University of Wollongong Library (25th October- 19th
November); State Library of New South Wales, State Library of South Australia, State Library of
Tasmania-Rosny LINC Branch, Customs House Library, Glebe Library, Haymarket Library,
Ultimo Library, Newtown Library, Surry Hill Library, Kings Cross Library (15th- 19th November);
and Stanton Library (19th November).
Burnside will join Dr Kath Gelber (UQ) and Dr Ben Saul (Sydney Law School) for a panel
discussion after his address. The panel, to be chaired by Dr Christopher Michaelsen, chair of
Sydney PEN’s Writers in Prison program and Research Fellow in the Faculty of Law at UNSW,
will consider Burnside’s views alongside the thoughts of his peers in human rights and
international law.
This event will be held on November 19th at 6.00 for 6.30pm in the Dixson Room at the State
Library of New South Wales. For bookings contact (02) 9273 1770 or bookings@sl.nsw.gov.au.
Julian Burnside, Kath Gelber and Ben Saul are available to comment on their involvement.
Sydney PEN media contact:
Bonny Cassidy
0417 252 004
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