PEN community pays tribute to Daphne with new poetry collection

On 26 August 2021, the PEN community published a new collection of poems dedicated to Daphne Caruana Galizia, marking what would have been her 57th birthday. The poems, collected by aspiring PEN Malta through a call for submissions, are now part of the PEN International Poetry Memorial for Daphne Caruana Galizia that was launched two years ago.

In a statement released today, writer Immanuel Mifsud, President of PEN Malta, said: “As we launched our call for submissions to the PEN International Poetry Memorial for Daphne Caruana Galizia, we were humbled by the responses received. Each poem is a reminder of the impact that she continues to have not just in Malta, but across the world. We call on the Maltese authorities to act on the findings of a recently-concluded public inquiry into her killing and to urgently ensure better protection of journalists and freedom of expression in Malta.”

Jennifer Clement, PEN International President, said: “PEN International’s poetry memorial is a tribute to her courage and her fearlessness. As we continue to honour her memory and bravery, we are reminded of the shocking and relentless harassment and threats she and her family have had to endure, which continue to this day. Daphne Caruana Galizia was targeted because of her work, because she dared to express her opinions, because she refused to be silenced. She stood up against the highest levels of corruption and paid the ultimate price. Her legacy lives on. We stand alongside her family in their fight for full justice and accountability.”

We warmly welcome this initiative and are grateful to the writers and poets in Malta and around the world who have contributed their work to the memorial.