PEN Ukraine introduces its focus theme for 2026

PEN Ukraine has introduced this year’s main theme, “The Feeling of Home.” It is the focus theme that members of PEN Ukraine and invited authors will explore in 2026.

This is the sixth time the PEN community has chosen a focus theme. In previous years, the themes were “Bridges Instead of Walls” (2018/2019), “What Will Give Us Strength?” (2019/2020), “Culture on Hold” (2020/2021), “Returning Their Names” (2021/2022), and “Being in the World” (2025/2026).

Over the course of the year, authors’ essays will appear on the Suspilne Kultura website, the primary media partner for the focus theme.

“Having a feeling of home, at the front and in the rear, here in Ukraine and abroad, is critically important infrastructure for Ukrainian existence and survival. Another person can build, repair, or restore it for someone else. How are the repair and construction efforts going here? Do we understand that the reconstruction of our human and social ecosystems isn’t something for the future? It must be done right now, or yesterday? … Are we ready to take stock and speak honestly not only about our strengths, but also about our vulnerabilities? To speak in order to forge new paths of humanity where Russians destroy them every day and every night,” said Iya Kiva, poet, translator, journalist, and member of PEN Ukraine.

The curator of the focus theme project is Anna Vovchenko, a translator, cultural project manager, and member of PEN Ukraine.

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Copy editing: Joy Tataryn