On August 12, 2022, the news of Booker-winner Salman Rushdie being brutally stabbed during an event at the Chautauqua Institute in New York shocked everyone. The attack was so severe that the author lost vision in one eye. And now, nine months after the brutal attack, Rushdie made his first public appearance at PEN America's yearly gala in New York City on April 18, 2023.
Commenting on Rushdie's appearance at the event, Suzanne Nossel- PEN America CEO said, "After the shock of the attack, there was a long period when we had real doubts about whether Salman was going to make it and what kind of shape he might be in if he did. So to see him back, in action, at this event, with his PEN America family is a remarkable testament to his resilience and strength and a kind of emblem of our work -- that in the face of lethal threats, the writer triumphs and the voice continues."
At the 2023 PEN America Literary Gala, Rushdie was awarded the PEN Centenary Courage Award 2023 by PEN America. It is noted that PEN America, a nonprofit organization, celebrates and defends the freedom of expression and speech in the USA and across the world by supporting human rights and literature.
On winning the award, Rushdie was greeted with a standing ovation by the crowd. Accepting the award, Rushdie said, "Well, hi everybody. It's nice to be back, as opposed to not being back, which was also an option. I'm pretty glad the dice rolled this way. I just thought if there's a right thing to chose as a re-entry, it's this... It's being part of the world of books, the fight against censorship and for human rights."
The 75-year-old author further said that he is accepting the award for the heroes who rushed to save him, when he was stabbed last year. "If it had not been for these people, I most certainly would not be standing here today. I was the target that day, but they were the heroes. The courage, that day, was all theirs. I owe my life to them," Rushdie said.
He further said, "Terrorism must not terrorise us. Violence must not deter us... The struggle goes on."
