Through the co-editorship of its Executive Director (Dr. Daniel R. Mekonnen), ELS collaborated in the publication of a major edited volume by PEN Eritrea and two other partners: PEN Austria and the Swiss-German PEN Centre. The edited volume, entitled “Uncensored Voices: Essays, Poems, Art Works by Exiled Eritreans,” contains a total of fourteen contributions by established and emerging writers, poets and artists.
The edited volume was launched at an official event hosted by PEN Austria in Vienna on 11 October 2017, at which Dr. Mekonnen gave a briefing about the contents of the book, representing PEN Eritrea and the two co-editors of the volume: Tedros Araham and Abraham T. Zere. The event included a panel discussion, joined by representatives of the Network of Eritrean Women (NEW) and recital of poetry by Dr. Mekonnen.
In the introduction of the book, the co-editors highlight some of the main objectives of the publication as that of: promoting independent thinking and freedom of expression; as well as providing a forum for diversity of opinion by an assorted group of writers, poets and artists hailing from different generations. The edited volume is the first and major publication of PEN Eritrea in which the Executive Director of ELS serves as member of the Advisory Board.