PEN Afrikaans – Mediamededeling (with English Translation)

See English translation below.

PRETORIA PEN
(Geherkonstitueer)

Mediamededeling
Vir onmiddellike vrystelling
Navrae:
Fanie Olivier (Pretoria PEN) 082 613 1488
Kerneels Breytenbach (Afrikaanse Skrywersunie) 082 712 5694

‘n PEN-sentrum vir Afrikaans

Die ideaal van ‘n Afrikaanse PEN-sentrum word eersdaags bewaarheid wanneer ‘n voorstel hieroor in Korea ter tafel gelê word.

Pretoria PEN, wat vroeër vanjaar geherkonstitueer is, het van die Raad van PEN International in Londen goedkeuring gekry om ‘n naamsverandering tot PEN Afrikaans aan te vra by die 2012- wêreldkongres van PEN. Die kongres word in September in Gyeongju, Suid-Korea gehou en sal na verwagting deur meer as 500 lede van PEN wêreldwyd bygewoon word.

PEN is ‘n internasionale skrywersvereniging wat skrywers, vertalers, joernaliste en uitgewers deur middel van sentrums in lande dwarsoor die wêreld saamsnoer en verteenwoordig.

Pretoria PEN is in 2005 as die tweede PEN-sentrum in Suid-Afrika erken. ‘n Engelstalige SA PEN bestaan reeds baie dekades.
Nadat die werksaamhede van Pretoria PEN doodgeloop het, het ‘n aantal van die lede onder leiding van die skrywers Pieter Haasbroek, John Miles en Fanie Olivier in Oktober 2011 begin met ‘n proses om die sentrum weer aan die gang te kry. Een van die belangrikste mikpunte was om die sentrum te herposisioneer rondom Afrikaans.

Samesprekings is gevoer met ‘n verteenwoordiger van die bestuur van die Afrikaanse Skrywersunie wat tydens die Woordfees vanjaar gestig is. Die ASU het tydens sy stigtingsvergadering die moontlikheid van samekoms tussen die twee inisiatiewe oopgehou, en sal die gedagte van samesmelting verder voer die oomblik dat PEN Afrikaans amptelik erkenning kry. Daar is duidelik ‘n behoefte aan ‘n inklusiewe en verteenwoordigende Afrikaanse skrywersvereniging met ‘n internasionale profiel.

Die nuwe bestuur het die laaste paar maande hieroor intensief met die PEN-hoofkantoor in Londen oorleg gepleeg. Die betrokke subkomitee het by die Raad van PEN International aanbeveel dat so ‘n naamsverandering aan die kongres opgedra word vir goedkeuring deur die algemene ledevergadering.

Fanie Olivier (tussentydse voorsitter van Pretoria PEN) en die bekende skrywer EKM Dido is die afgevaardigdes van Pretoria PEN by die kongres.

PRETORIA PEN
(Reconstituted)

Enquiries:
Fanie Olivier (Pretoria PEN) 082 613 1488
Kerneels Breytenbach (Afrikaanse Skrywersunie) 082 712 5694

A PEN Centre for Afrikaans

The ideal of an Afrikaans PEN Centre will soon be realised through the tabling of a proposal at PEN International’s 2012 Congress in Korea.

Pretoria PEN, which was reconstituted earlier this year, has been given the green light by the Board of PEN International in Londen to request a change of name to PEN Afrikaans at the Congress. It will be held during September in Gyeongju, South Korea, and will be attended by more than 500 PEN delegates from all over the world.

PEN is an international association joining together and representing writers, translators, journalists and editors through centres in countries world-wide.

Pretoria PEN was recognised in 2005 as the second PEN Centre in South Africa. An English SA PEN has been in existence for many decades.

The activities of Pretoria PEN having come to a standstill, a number of its members led by writers Pieter Haasbroek, John Miles and Fanie Olivier started a process in October 2011 aimed at reviving the Centre. One of the principal aims was to reposition the Centre around Afrikaans as a creative medium.

Discussions have been held with a representative of the executive of the Afrikaanse Skrywersunie (Afrikaans Writers’ Union) established at the Woordfees (Literary Festival) earlier this year. At this meeting, the ASU left open the possibility of a merger of the ASU with PEN Afrikaans, and such a merger will be taken forward as soon as PEN Afrikaans has obtained official recognition.

The new management has over the last few months been consulting intensively with the PEN head office in London. The relevant subcommittee submitted a recommendation to the Board that the proposed name change be conveyed to Congress for approval at the assembly of members.

Fanie Olivier (interim chairperson of Pretoria PEN) and the well-known writer EKM Dido will be Pretoria PEN’s delegates at the Congress.