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Economic Times
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Bendigo Writers Festival: Around 50 participants withdraw over free speech concerns around Israel-Gaza war; event spokesperson reacts
Around 50 writers and moderators have withdrawn from the Bendigo Writers Festival in central Victoria. (Photo: Bendigo Writers Festival website) Around 50 writers and moderators have withdrawn from the Bendigo Writers Festival in central Victoria, which began on August 15, 2025 (Friday), over concerns about free speech pertaining to the Israel-Gaza war, according to ABC News. The three-day festival will end on August 17, 2025 (Sunday). The cancellations include the festival's opening night and author Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah, First Nations poet Dr. Evelyn Araluen, and Wiradjuri writer and poet Jeanine Leane were among the first to withdraw from the festival over the code, reported The Guardian. According to festival spokesperson Julie Amos, organizers were processing refunds for ticket holders after 15 sessions across the three-day event were cancelled because writers pulled out. The flurry of withdrawals from the writers' festival came due to the festival's code of conduct, which mentions broad issues like respect and inclusivity but urges attendees to discuss "sensitive topics" with "balance and respect," according to media reports. According to the code, 'La Trobe Presents' panels and speakers must comply with the principles espoused in La Trobe University's anti-racism plan, including the plan's definitions of antisemitism. The list of withdrawals updated by the group Readers and Writers against Genocide includes names like Thomas Mayo, Jock Serong, Jess Hill, and Kirstin Ferguson, The Guardian reported. The plan stated that "criticism of the policies and practices of the Israeli government or state is not in and of itself antisemitic," according to ABC News. "However, criticism of Israel can be antisemitic when it is grounded in harmful tropes, stereotypes, or assumptions and when it calls for the elimination of the State of Israel or all Jews or when it holds Jewish individuals or communities responsible for Israel's actions," the plan added. Speaking on the code of conduct, Amos said that it was not brought in to censor free speech; rather, it was intended as a set of guidelines to "facilitate respectful conversations" about global political issues."It's no secret that we are living in an incredibly risk-averse environment at the moment," she said, as quoted by ABC News. "We encourage discussions about these issues. We're not trying to shut them down. We just want to make sure those really, really important conversations happen in a safe way," she further stated.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bendigo Writers Festival: Around 50 participants withdraw over free speech concerns around Israel-Gaza war; event spokesperson reacts
Around 50 writers and moderators have withdrawn from the Bendigo Writers Festival in central Victoria, which began on August 15, 2025 (Friday), over concerns about free speech pertaining to the Israel-Gaza war , according to ABC News. The three-day festival will end on August 17, 2025 (Sunday). The cancellations include the festival's opening night gala. Academic and author Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah, First Nations poet Dr. Evelyn Araluen, and Wiradjuri writer and poet Jeanine Leane were among the first to withdraw from the festival over the code, reported The Guardian. According to festival spokesperson Julie Amos, organizers were processing refunds for ticket holders after 15 sessions across the three-day event were cancelled because writers pulled out. The flurry of withdrawals from the writers' festival came due to the festival's code of conduct , which mentions broad issues like respect and inclusivity but urges attendees to discuss "sensitive topics" with "balance and respect," according to media reports. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo According to the code, 'La Trobe Presents' panels and speakers must comply with the principles espoused in La Trobe University 's anti-racism plan, including the plan's definitions of antisemitism. The list of withdrawals updated by the group Readers and Writers against Genocide includes names like Thomas Mayo, Jock Serong, Jess Hill, and Kirstin Ferguson, The Guardian reported. The plan stated that "criticism of the policies and practices of the Israeli government or state is not in and of itself antisemitic," according to ABC News. "However, criticism of Israel can be antisemitic when it is grounded in harmful tropes, stereotypes, or assumptions and when it calls for the elimination of the State of Israel or all Jews or when it holds Jewish individuals or communities responsible for Israel's actions," the plan added. Live Events Code of Conduct was not meant to censor free speech," said festival spokesperson Amos Speaking on the code of conduct, Amos said that it was not brought in to censor free speech; rather, it was intended as a set of guidelines to "facilitate respectful conversations" about global political issues. "It's no secret that we are living in an incredibly risk-averse environment at the moment," she said, as quoted by ABC News. "We encourage discussions about these issues. We're not trying to shut them down. We just want to make sure those really, really important conversations happen in a safe way," she further stated.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Authors ditch Bendigo Writers Festival over freedom of speech concerns
Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen is among a growing number of authors to withdraw from the Bendigo Writers Festival in protest over restrictions on their freedom of speech, in the latest sign of the deep divisions that have erupted in the literary world over Israel-Palestine. Participants of the event were given a code of conduct, seen by this masthead, that stated they must 'avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful'. The code of conduct also required compliance with La Trobe University's definition of antisemitism. La Trobe has adopted the Universities Australia definition, which several universities around the country have not accepted, saying it conflates antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government and anti-Zionism, and therefore prohibits people speaking out. The code of conduct applies to the La Trobe component of the festival, co-curated by Professor Claire Wright - author of Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions, which this week was short-listed for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Having devised nine sessions featuring the university's academics and alumni, Wright has also resigned in protest. Others who have also withdrawn include journalist Jess Hill, authors Thomas Mayo, Kate Mildenhall, writer Claire G. Coleman, academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, poet and activist Jeanine Leane and journalist Paul Daley. Araluen wrote to the BWF organisers saying the festival code of conduct 'directly infringes on my freedom of speech… my cultural duty as a First Nations woman and my obligation as someone with a large platform to speak out against oppression, which includes speaking out against Israel's ongoing UN-defined genocide of the Palestinian people.' 'After Israel's latest campaign to permanently silence Al-Jazeera journalists, most recently on Monday, when 23 were killed in a targeted strike, it is reprehensible that a writers festival should ask anyone, let alone a First Nations woman, to self-censor,' Araluen wrote. Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah also wrote to the BWF to withdraw, saying 'I cannot take part in any festival that asks me to endorse a framework that demands my self-censorship.'
The Age
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Authors ditch Bendigo Writers Festival over freedom of speech concerns
Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen is among a growing number of authors to withdraw from the Bendigo Writers Festival in protest over restrictions on their freedom of speech, in the latest sign of the deep divisions that have erupted in the literary world over Israel-Palestine. Participants of the event were given a code of conduct, seen by this masthead, that stated they must 'avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful'. The code of conduct also required compliance with La Trobe University's definition of antisemitism. La Trobe has adopted the Universities Australia definition, which several universities around the country have not accepted, saying it conflates antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government and anti-Zionism, and therefore prohibits people speaking out. The code of conduct applies to the La Trobe component of the festival, co-curated by Professor Claire Wright - author of Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions, which this week was short-listed for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Having devised nine sessions featuring the university's academics and alumni, Wright has also resigned in protest. Others who have also withdrawn include journalist Jess Hill, authors Thomas Mayo, Kate Mildenhall, writer Claire G. Coleman, academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, poet and activist Jeanine Leane and journalist Paul Daley. Araluen wrote to the BWF organisers saying the festival code of conduct 'directly infringes on my freedom of speech… my cultural duty as a First Nations woman and my obligation as someone with a large platform to speak out against oppression, which includes speaking out against Israel's ongoing UN-defined genocide of the Palestinian people.' 'After Israel's latest campaign to permanently silence Al-Jazeera journalists, most recently on Monday, when 23 were killed in a targeted strike, it is reprehensible that a writers festival should ask anyone, let alone a First Nations woman, to self-censor,' Araluen wrote. Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah also wrote to the BWF to withdraw, saying 'I cannot take part in any festival that asks me to endorse a framework that demands my self-censorship.'
