STATEMENT ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNATIONAL DISORDER

22 July 2026.- The consequences of international disorder continue to inflict a devastating toll on millions around the world, with grave implications for global peace. Protracted conflicts have been left to fester, while the megalomanic ambitions of individual heads of government have unleashed new waves of war and instability. As the Writers for Peace Committee of PEN International we cannot allow this disorder to exist without protest.

Long-standing conflicts, both within and between nations, have not only been unresolved they have been exacerbated. Misguided policies by at least three permanent members of the UN Security Council and their allies have resulted deliberately in major wars in the northern hemisphere. They are a disgrace and a permanent stain on the reputations of their countries.

Meanwhile there has been continued failure to address the risks and effects of climate change with anything like the required urgency. The consequences for health, agriculture, migration, and insecurity are already testing the policies of governments and the stability of democracies. Autocratic regimes are once again threatening to use nuclear arms. Over half the world's governments can now be regarded as in breach of their obligations under the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Many are now the subject of sanctions by either the UN or the European Union or have leaders under investigation by the International Criminal Court.

Writers, as chroniclers of our shared humanity, continue to sound the alarm. Using our freedom of speech, we hold governments accountable for their actions. We demand that they uphold their commitment to promote and protect human rights, which serve as the foundation for global peace.

We continue to use storytelling to foster empathy and dialogue, building bridges across the divides of politics and nationalism, and challenging narratives that seek to channel fear and uncertainty into aggression and hatred. Through words and imagination, we craft narratives that restore hope and optimism for our shared future. We amplify the voices of those whose suffering is made invisible by political impunity and the erosion of international accountability.