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Leila Aboulela Wins PEN Pinter Prize 2025 for Her Powerful Literary Work on Migration and Muslim Women’s Lives.

Awards | Dated: 15 Jul 2025

In July 2025, renowned Sudanese-Scottish author Leila Aboulela was honoured with the prestigious PEN Pinter Prize 2025, awarded by English PEN. The award celebrates her distinguished contributions to literature, particularly her insightful writing on themes such as migration, Islamic faith, and the lived experiences of Muslim women in diaspora and displacement.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - The PEN Pinter Prize is awarded annually by English PEN to a writer who fearlessly addresses themes of truth, human rights, and social justice. The 2025 edition was announced during the English PEN Summer Party at the October Gallery in London, United Kingdom (UK), marking the 16th year of this literary recognition.
  • - Leila Aboulela will be formally presented with the award on October 10, 2025, during a ceremony at the British Library (BL) in London. During this event, the co-winner of the PEN Pinter Writer of Courage 2025, chosen jointly by Aboulela and English PEN, will also be announced — highlighting voices persecuted or silenced globally.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) The 2025 selection panel included literary figures such as Ruth Borthwick, Chair of English PEN; poet and writer Mona Arshi; and celebrated novelist Nadifa Mohamed. The judges praised Aboulela’s ability to craft narratives that intertwine personal stories with global socio-political realities, drawing particular attention to the struggles and strength of Muslim women in exile.
  • (ii) The PEN Pinter Prize, established in 2009 in honour of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter, honours a 'Writer of Courage' from the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth for fearless truth-telling in English.
  • (iii) Leila Aboulela is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including The Translator (1999), Minaret (2005), Lyrics Alley (2011), and her latest River Spirit (2023). She won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2000 for her short story The Museum, and the Scottish Book Award for Lyrics Alley. Her work has frequently featured in the BBC Radio 4 Short Story Awards, and she was shortlisted for the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year in 2018.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Who recently won the PEN Pinter Prize 2025 for her literary contributions on migration and Muslim women's lives?

Correct Answer: Leila Aboulela

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