In a world context marked by political tensions, armed conflicts and growing restrictions on freedom of expression, literature once again rises as a meeting space. From April 29 to May 2, the PEN The United States World Voices 2026 Competition will bring together more than 140 writers from more than 40 countries in New York and Los Angeles, reaffirming the power of words to cross borders and question that which divides.
For one week, the festival will transform Greenwich Village into a vibrant cultural epicenter where readers and authors will come together to explore the power of writing as a tool of inspiration, provocation and reflection. Bookstores, schools, parks and historical spaces will be the setting for a diverse, accessible and rigorous program that seeks to turn the solitary act of stare into a collective experience.
“The Competition World Voices 2026 is an act of joyful defiance: an insistence on the power of literature,” said Sabir Sultan, director of the festival and the organization’s literary programs.
“In the face of daily headlines about wars, political polarization, deportations and attacks on democracy, we have brought together brilliant writers from around the world to talk about their art, their stories and the world we live in. In a time of inherent divisions, this festival insists on our shared humanity, on the ability of literature to connect us through the imagination and on the ability of writers to reflect and refract the world in transformative ways,” he added.
A festival that expands voices and perspectives
The 2026 edition also marks a new stage under the joint leadership of Summer Lopez and Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, who took over as co-executive directors in February after a year as interim directors. Under his direction, the festival maintains its legacy of more than two decades as a key platform to defend freedom of expression and make world literary diversity visible.
This year’s program addresses a wide range of contemporary topics: from the potential of genre fiction and narratives about war, displacement and resistance, to the impact of technology on public discourse, the preservation of black history, the repatriation of cultural artifacts and the art of literary translation.
One of the most anticipated moments will be the opening of the festival, where Lopez will dialogue with prominent figures such as philosopher Judith Butler, war veteran and writer Phil Klay and journalist Molly Jong-Fast. The conversation will revolve around the fragility of contemporary democracy.
For her part, Shariyf will participate in a panel with novelist Laila Lalami and author Megha Majumdar to analyze how dystopian fiction reflects the political forces that shape non-public life. The closing event will bring together PEN The United States President Dinaw Mengestu with writers such as Tash Aw, Susan Choi, Patricia Smith and Madeleine Thien, in a conversation about how literature reflects the plurality of the world.
Activations and experiences open to the public
Beyond the panels and conversations, the festival also focuses on participatory experiences. These include the 10th edition of the independent literary fair Indie Lit Gorgeous, a public mural in Union Sq. created by the Afghan collective ArtLords, an Unbannable Library installation with large-format books and a new outdoor stage that will offer free discussions for the public.
These initiatives seek to bring literature closer to new audiences and reinforce its role as a tool of social dialogue.
The festival will feature the participation of recognized and emerging figures from the world literary scene. Among them, the Puerto Rican author Esmeralda Santiago, the Moroccan writer Abdellah Taïa, the German novelist Daniel Kehlmann, the playwright Sarah Ruhl and the environmentalist Bill McKibben.
Also participating will be the journalist George Packer, the French writer Neige Sinno, the Sudanese author Leila Aboulela and the Argentine Agustina Bazterrica, who has gained international notoriety among new reading audiences.
Completing the list are novelist Siri Hustvedt, author Katie Kitamura and poet and narrator Ha Jin, all of them providing diverse perspectives on topics such as memory, identity, dissidence and the power of narrative.
Festival highlights
- Opening (April 29): Conversation on democracy with Judith Butler, Phil Klay and Molly Jong-Fast
- Dystopian Panel (May 1): With Laila Lalami and Megha Majumdar
- Closing (May 2): Dialogue on literary plurality with Dinaw Mengestu and international authors
- Indie Lit Gorgeous (May 2): Free Independent Publisher Fair in Washington Sq. South
- ArtLords Mural (April 30): Artistic intervention in Union Sq.
- Outdoor Stage (May 2): Free debates open to the public
- Unbannable Library: Installation of large format books against censorship
To consult the complete schedule, you can visit the PEN The United States’s net situation website.