The Tomorrow Club aims to support and mentor young writers amid polarity and tech-driven chaos

December 26, 2025

PEN International's Tomorrow Club, founded in 1917, has relaunched with an Asia-focused edition featuring 30 young writers under 35 from 20 countries to amplify youth voices and foster cross-border connections. The initiative addresses how censorship in many Asian nations restricts expression and aims to share personal stories that transcend geographic and political boundaries. Featured writers include political prisoners, activists, and refugees who document challenges like detention in the Philippines, civil society persecution in Vietnam, and the Rohingya statelessness crisis.

Who is affected

Young writers and artists under 35 years old across Asia
Amanda Socorro Lacaba Echanis, a political prisoner from the Philippines
Theodore Pham, an activist protecting Vietnam's civil society space
The Rohingya people, who remain stateless and displaced from Myanmar
Young Myanmar citizens who fled to Thailand after the 2021 coup
Draft dodgers detained by Thai border guards and forced into Myanmar's military
Students in schools where Tomorrow Club promotes their advocacy
Persecuted writers facing authoritarian regimes across Asia

What action is being taken

PEN International's Tomorrow Club is featuring 30 young voices from 20 Asian countries in its latest edition
Writers are sharing personal stories about censorship, imprisonment, displacement, and activism
The organization is writing support letters to build community and solidarity with persecuted writers
Tomorrow Club is bringing texts to students through school programs

Why it matters

This initiative addresses the critical gap in amplifying young Asian voices who face censorship and political repression across the region. By creating platforms for writers to share experiences of imprisonment, statelessness, forced displacement, and activism, the Tomorrow Club builds cross-border understanding and solidarity while challenging Western-oriented media perspectives. The work personalizes political struggles and helps young people discover shared values around independence, equality, and justice despite geographic and cultural differences, fostering connections that can inspire action and support for human rights.

What's next

A mentorships scheme is in development
An anthology in print format is planned
A documentary is being developed
More school programs are planned to bring these texts to students

Read full article from source: Global Voices