The theme that Poetic Debaters will be challenged for Pop Up is Freedom of Speech.
Here is an interview with English PEN Programmer Mazin Saleem, speaking about the important work PEN International does to raise awareness around writers, poets and journalists imprisoned for their work and the relevance of Freedom of speech as a principle.
The times of the questions have been noted here.
TIME:
00:08 – What are the fundamental principles of Freedom of Speech
01:57 – Satire – One person’s joke is another person’s insult
03:39 – The opposite of Free Speech?
04:26 – Does class have an effect on your right to freedom of speech?
05:40 – What work does English PEN do?
07:40 – Writers’ responsibilities to other writers – Case study Enoh Meyomesse
09:30 – How do you think being imprisoned might effect a writers writing?
10:41 – What kind of reasons do people get imprisoned for?
11.32 – Freedom of Speech in the UK
12:32 – What are the overt ‘cons’ to Freedom of Speech?
13:36 – What happens when freedom of speech is genderised, racialised or put in generational categories?
14:52 – What is the value of freedom of speech in terms of our development as human beings?
What are your immediate thoughts? What poem could you draft from your immediate thoughts?
Poetry Prompt
“You ask this tongue to understand chains and it replies…”
OR
“Stop your words, there are no ears to catch them here because…”
~ Zena
THE POETIC DEBATERS PROJECT 