Writers fight back: freedom of the word in the focus of the PEN annual conference

Writers fight back: freedom of the word in the focus of the PEN annual conference

Christoph Quarch, bestselling author and philosopher, presented his “Breakfast Quarch” again on SWR Aktuell on Friday morning. This week he discussed the annual conference of the German PEN Center, which will take place in Darmstadt from June 23rd to 29th, 2025. Under the motto “Cultural politics, literature and the freedom of the word”, the authors gathered there come together to send a strong signal against anti-democratic and right-wing populist currents. These tendencies are perceived as a threat to the freedom of speech and literature, which Quarch reflected in a conversation with moderator Andreas Böhnisch.

The event aims to promote exchange between authors, political voices and urban society. Mayor Hanno Benz emphasized the growing threat to freedom of expression from populist movements. MICHAEL Landgraf, Secretary General of PEN, also underlined the essential role of public spaces for literature and freedom of expression.

Cultural events and program

The annual conference offers a variety of events, including a celebration entitled “Freedom is the freedom of writing differently” on June 23rd at 7 p.m. in the Literaturhaus Darmstadt. In addition, a reading world record attempt will take place on June 26th in the Merck Stadium, in which around 2,000 students from more than 50 nations will take part. On this day, Olaf Zimmermann will also speak about “cultural politics and literature” in the Centralstation, followed by a discussion with Mayor Benz and the writer Klaus-Peter Wolf.

The event is supported by several institutions, including the ENTEGA Foundation, the Merck Society for Art and Science, the Science City of Darmstadt and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media. The full program of the annual conference can be found on the German PEN website and offers a comprehensive overview of the planned highlights of this important week for literature and cultural policy.

In a follow-up conversation, Quarch examines whether writers are doing themselves a favor through their involvement in cultural politics. This question is of great relevance in the current social debate and illustrates the weight that literature and its representatives can have in the political landscape. The coming days promise to provide important food for thought and underline the importance of literature in democratic societies.

More about the background to the annual conference and Quarch's reflections can be found in the current reports from SWR Current as well as on the official website PEN Germany.