Michael Rosen, a renowned poet and writer, has been recognized for his literary contributions and honored with the prestigious PEN Pinter Prize 2023.Rosen is known for making poetry accessible to children through his work and performances. His themes are often social, political and ethical.The PEN Pinter Prize was established in 2009 by English PEN, the founding centre of a global literary network that promotes literature and human rights.The prize was named after Harold Pinter, who was a vice president of English PEN and an active member of the International PEN Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC).
It was inspired by Pinter’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech in 2005, titled “Art, Truth and Politics”, in which he spoke about the role of the writer as a “citizen of the world” who questions and exposes the lies of power.The prize aims to recognise writers who use their words to defend the dignity and rights of others.The Prize is awarded annually to a writer resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Commonwealth or former Commonwealth.The winner must the author of a significant body of plays, poetry, essays, or fiction of outstanding literary merit, written in English.Past recipients of the prestigious award include Hanif Kureishi, Lemn Sissay, and Malorie Blackman.