In a rare public appearance since the harrowing attack at a literary event last year, acclaimed author Salman Rushdie received the inaugural lifetime “Disturbing the Peace” award at the Vaclav Havel Center in New York. The ceremony, part of the annual “Living in Truth” event, marked one of the few occasions Rushdie has spoken in-person at an event since the attack that led to his hospitalization.
Amid heightened security concerns, Rushdie’s surprise attendance was not publicized until the evening of the event, prompting a deployment of the New York Police Department outside the venue. Addressing the audience, Rushdie, dressed in a black button-up shirt and matching suit, expressed gratitude for the warm reception, stating, “I apologize for being a mystery guest. I do not feel at all mysterious. It just made my life a little bit simpler.” The author received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Salman Rushdie, known for his extensive literary contributions, including the controversial “The Satanic Verses,” faced severe repercussions when a fatwa was issued against him in 1989. The recent attack in August 2022, which left him hospitalized for six weeks, added another chapter to his tumultuous history.
During the ceremony, Rushdie accepted the lifetime “Disturbing the Peace” award from Azar Nafisi, the author of “Teaching Lolita in Tehran.” The event, attended by approximately 150 guests, including journalists, diplomats, and artists, honored Rushdie’s unwavering defense of freedom of expression.
Reflecting on his personal connection with Václav Havel, the former president of the Czech Republic and the event’s honoree, Rushdie remarked, “Havel was a remarkable figure because he was able to be an artist at the same time as being an activist, and those things are not always easy to reconcile with each other.”
The Vaclav Havel Center praised Rushdie as an exemplar of the award’s principles, citing his fearless defense of freedom of expression in both his fiction and public commentaries.
In a press release preceding the event, the center stated, “His forthright defense of freedom of expression emerges not only through his fiction but also in the principled stances he takes in his trenchant commentaries and memoirs.”
While the ceremony celebrated Rushdie’s enduring commitment to free expression, it also honored Egyptian political theorist and blogger Alaa Abd El-Fattah with the “Disturbing the Peace” award to a courageous writer at risk. The award was accepted by Abd El-Fattah’s aunt, Ahdaf Soueif, a distinguished author.
In her acceptance speech, Soueif emphasized the importance of remembering individuals, like her nephew, facing imprisonment under “inhumane conditions.” The ceremony also recognized CBS journalist Leslie Stahl for her outstanding foreign policy coverage on national television.
Rushdie, who recently received the Peace Prize of the German book trade in Frankfurt, conveyed concern about the current climate, stating, “We are living in a time I did not think I would have to live in.” The author humorously remarked on receiving both the peace prize and the “disturbing peace” award, quipping, “One of those things is definitely true. I’m not sure which one.”
The ceremony showcased not only a celebration of literary achievements but also a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles for freedom of expression and human rights.
