Salman Rushdie’s Public Return and PEN America’s Centenary Courage Award
Salman Rushdie made his first public appearance in nine months when he attended a recent event in New York. The gathering, organized by PEN America, awarded the organization the Centenary Courage Award in recognition of its steadfast commitment to protecting free expression and defending writers around the world.
During his remarks, Rushdie highlighted the importance of PEN America and its mission. He emphasized that defending free speech is crucial at a moment when attempts to regulate books and suppress differing ideas are on the rise. Rushdie spoke on behalf of everyone who supported him on the day he was attacked, acknowledging the individuals who offered aid at the education center in western New York State.
On the night of August 12, 2022, an unnamed assailant assaulted Rushdie just before he was set to deliver a lecture. The attack necessitated hospitalization, underscoring the dangers faced by public intellectuals and advocates for free expression.
Rushdie has long been a symbol of literary resilience, living under a standing threat tied to a fatwa issued by Iran’s former supreme leader. The decree, rooted in controversy surrounding a previous work, has positioned him at the center of global debates about censorship and the rights of authors to express provocative ideas without fear of violence.
PEN America, established in 1922, is a New York–based nonprofit that champions freedom of expression and human rights for writers and readers in the United States and beyond. It supports literary creation, monitors threats to expression, and promotes policy discussions that help safeguard the right to publish and share ideas freely.
In reflecting on life after the assault, Rushdie’s public remarks underscored the enduring impact such events have on the literary community and on efforts to protect cultural exchange. The collaboration between Rushdie and PEN America illustrates a shared commitment to defending creative voices and the institutions that nurture them, even in the face of intimidation or backlash.