Dear Assembly of Delegates, Colleagues, Friends,

It takes courage to be a writer. In some parts of our world, more courage is needed. Especially if you are a woman. There are so many serious problems in our world that it takes great courage to be a candidate for International Presidency.

But I am ready. For more than forty years, in spite of several military and fundamentalist coups, court cases and threats, I have kept writing, organizing international events and defending democratic values in harmony with the values and goals of PEN. I thank The English, German and Italian PEN Centers for trusting and nominating me.

As an international federation of centres, PEN is a powerful organization, because it consists of powerful individuals with noble ideas. And wonderful colleagues, volunteers and professionals have been working hard for almost a century. We have witnessed how dear John Ralston Saul dedicated himself with other marvelous colleagues in the past six years. I am grateful to them all.

Dear Friends, I believe we can be even more powerful and efficient. YES, we will fight till no writer suffers from any abuse or pressure. YES, we will struggle for peace, for non-violence, freedom of expression, gender equality including LGBTI rights and a healthy environment. BUT this is a literary organization. We have to highlight literature in every corner of the world. Our power is creativity. Our responsibility, courage, our vision of a better future, our empathy with the less lucky and more oppressed ones. My vision of the future PEN is the efficiency and visibility of our power.

Mastering two languages (English and French), author of 18 books, experienced in conflict resolution and leadership; having worked 40 years in the international Peace Movement and Global Women's Movement, made me a strategist. It made me practical, dynamic and solution-oriented team worker. My Turkish identity (Turkey, between East and West,) my multi-cultural heritage, my Mediterranean identity,  my feminist identity, plus being the mother of 2 and grandmother of 7, enables me to cope with different complex situations. I'm necessarily a hard worker. I have few enemies in life: Discrimination and separatism are among them.   This is not only about me, it's about every single one  of us and what we bring to PEN. Our diversity is our richness.

Literature is a feast!  As a global organization we have to empower that feast.  Hence, I intend to initiate various literary projects. As International President I'll contribute to the synergy of our members. We can find ways of promoting lesser known literatures. I'll urge everybody to Reach out - to grab those famous writers to  join our organizations!  I'll do my best to enlarge our "family".

Dear Delegates,
For the first time in almost a century, we will have a woman International President. Whoever is elected, she has to be successful.  Because if she is not, it will not be Jennifer, Vida or Zeynep but it will be the first woman president who failed. I’m not a female chauvinist but we can not afford that! That’s why, for me, this election is not a personal competition, a race, but a commitment to serve PEN better. If you kindly elect me as the most responsible person for our synergy, then I will discontinue my professional activities and commit myself to PEN International, to you all. I can promise empathy, responsibility, availability. And, with you all, I will do my best to advance PEN's goals.

Thank you all for listening, dear delegates. I hope I’ll also thank you for electing me.

Zeynep Oral