World Voices Festival

World Voices Festival

A celebration of international literature and the freedom to write.

Celebrating International Literature

The World Voices Festival, founded in 2004 by Salman Rushdie, Michael Roberts, and Esther Allen, is PEN America’s celebration of international literature and writers. Honoring our organization’s hundred-year history of uniting writers and readers to celebrate creative expression and the freedom to write for all, the Festival was founded in the wake of 9/11 to counter U.S. isolationism and broaden the channels of dialogue between the United States and the world.


The Arthur Miller Lecture

The Arthur Miller Lecture is an annual keynote session at the World Voices Festival that is a highlight of our week.