The crisis brewing in Ukraine — with Russia’s swift and aggressive invasion of the country — has got many Nobel laureates, writers and artists from around the world to come together to sign a strong letter condemning war and violence.
🗞️Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️
PEN International, which is a worldwide association of writers, has released the letter that has over 1,000 signatures of writers from around the world, who stand in solidarity with journalists, artists, fellow writers, and the people of Ukraine, as the country resists Russian forces.
According to pen-international.org, the signatories include Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Elif Shafak, Orhan Pamuk, among others. They write that they are “appalled by the violence unleashed by Russian forces against Ukraine and urgently call for an end to the bloodshed”.
“We stand united in condemnation of a senseless war, waged by President Putin’s refusal to accept the rights of Ukraine’s people to debate their future allegiance and history without Moscow’s interference,” the letter reads.
“We stand united in support of writers, journalists, artists, and all the people of Ukraine, who are living through their darkest hours. We stand by you and feel your pain,” the letter mentions, adding that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s “war is an attack on democracy and freedom not just in Ukraine, but around the world”.
“We stand united in calling for peace and for an end to the propaganda that is fueling the violence.”
📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!