"As we have seen, defending the right of people to speak, even when we deeply disagree with them, is very, very difficult. Many people perhaps most can't manage it. It can feel like a betrayal of self, a betrayal of values, and certainly a betrayal of one's community or cause. Nor is it sensible to expect it of everyone. But we must demand it of the custodians of our culture. This is the way forward."
"There, among the writers, were those who had cooperated with the previous regime, even written its propaganda, alongside those who had been jailed and tortured by that regime. Understandably almost every day one group or the other had threatened to walk out if the other were not cancelled. There was nothing cosy or comfortable or culturally safe about the exchanges. Yet the festival proceeded, the exchanges were had, and there was no violence."
Australia's cultural life faces strain after the cancellation of the 2026 Adelaide writers' week and a year of controversies in which cultural custodians bowed to pressure before belatedly rallying. Defending the right to speak, even to those deeply disagreed with, proves very difficult for many and can feel like betrayal of self, values, or community. Custodians of culture must be expected to uphold free speech despite discomfort; rhetorical reflection is insufficient. Compared with other societies, Australia remains relatively safe. A Myanmar writers' festival in 2015 showed that deeply divided participants can nonetheless exchange ideas without violence, offering a model of resilient cultural exchange.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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