Remembering Moris Farhi

PEN International is deeply saddened by the loss of PEN Vice President, dedicated activist and friend, Moris Farhi. He fought tirelessly for human rights and his legacy will live on through PEN's work. A celebrated novelist, playwright and screenwriter, Moris was a long-standing, committed, and active member of PEN to the end.  He dedicated much of his life to supporting fellow writers all over the world, particularly in Turkey, and chaired the Writers in Prison Committee at both English PEN and PEN International. He was one of the warmest, wisest and most generous human beings.  He will be  greatly missed by PEN members around the world.

'Moris was a brilliant and committed writer, a PEN champion, and dear friend. I will miss his warmth, his incomparable mind and above all, his friendship.' - Carles Torner, PEN International Executive Director.

'Literature is the art of imagining the impossible. Freedom of expression is its lifeblood. That is why It is so important for writers to stand up for writers everywhere, whenever they are punished, terrorised or censored. But also, why it is so important to read these writers, and stay in touch with them, and celebrate their courage. These are just a few of the things I learned from my beloved friend Musa. From my earliest days at English PEN he has been my leading light. And never more than in his writings. If ever I am feeling heartbroken about Istanbul, the city that we both loved as children and later lost, I need only to go back to his books. He is for me the greatest chronicler of the mid 20th century city- nationalist and authoritarian on the surface, but ingeniously, imaginatively, and generously multicultural underneath. He took that ethos with him wherever he went, in life and on the page. I cannot bear the thought of never seeing you again, dear Musa. But I know I can count on you to continue bringing out the best in us, wherever we go and however impossibly we write.'

Maureen Freely, Chair of Trustees, English PEN

'Yesterday morning, poet, writer and lover of human kind, fighter for a free world, Musa Moris Farhi, died, aged 83. My beloved friend, inspiration, co-conspirator, teller of marvellous tales, and so much more, I had the extraordinary good luck to have him as my boss when for several years he was Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee at PEN International. I am so delighted that our working relationship then turned into a firm friendship. Musa taught me how compassion and humour even in, or especially in, the most difficult of circumstances will over-ride all evils. Also the healing effect of long evenings drinking fine wine and good talk, even in his final months. I am devastated at his loss, yet at the same time blessed with memories of a wonderful man who enriched my life and those of so many others.'

– Sara Whyatt, former Director of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.

'It is with great sadness that all of us at Saqi Books have learned of the death of Moris Farhi. We are extremely proud to publish him. Musa, as he was known to his friends and family, was an exceptionally gifted writer. His ideals and passionate humanism imbued all of his works. Musa was a tireless advocate of freedom of expression, a dreamer and a poet – he was our comrade and friend, and he will be greatly missed.'

– Lynn Gaspard, Publisher, Saqi Books

'Musa was a man with a heart big enough for all the world. As a prize-winning writer, he could turn his hand to anything, and produced exquisite poetry, erotic short stories, thrillers, epic novels that were translated all over the world, television scripts. His writing was robust, rich, sensual, entertaining and culturally expansive and his relationship with his publisher Saqi Books was incredibly close. Moris was charming, funny and incredibly kind. I have fond memories of him insisting on us drinking raki together after lunch when I was a young agent and loving his company. He will be missed by many, many people.'

– Jessica Woolard, Musa Moris Farhi’s agent for many years

'The great writer Musa Moris Farhi has passed away this morning, 5 March, at the age of 83. Way beyond being merely a colleague, for the last three decades of my life he was also great friend, mentor, a neighbour and an inspiring ‘Abi’ (senior brother) for me -and a ‘path signpost’ for many others. He was also a dear member of the International Board of Patrons for my charity, Euro-Mernet. Most of you will immediately remember him as the author of powerful books, a globe-trotting human rights defender, a tireless former chairman of Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International, and a former PEN Vice-President.

Rest in power, dearest Musa Abi. The world is a lonelier place without your enlivening presence, and my heart is weaker under the scorching pain after my last -and silent- visit to your bedside today. Love and peace.'

– Umit Ozturk, journalist and coordinator of the Euro-Mediterranean Resources Network

'Moris was a remarkable man – life-giving, a humanitarian to the core, a dedicated campaigner and completely irreplaceable.'

– Jo Glanville, former Director, English PEN

'Moris Farhi was a prince amongst writers, not only a fine and prize winning international author, but the gentlest of souls and the warmest of friends. He worked tirelessly and with great sensitivity for imprisoned writers, chairing both English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee, then the PEN International Committee and became a Vice President of International PEN.   But it is as someone to talk to about politics, writing, everything, that I remember him from my years first as Deputy, then as President of English PEN.  He listened with a special attentiveness and his patient knowledge brought clarity to much that was tenebrous. RIP dear Moris.'

– Lisa Appignanesi, former President of English PEN

In a world of turmoil, and distress, Moris Farhi was a constant, reassuring, warm and centred presence. Always there for English PEN, his determination to work for others was legion.  He spanned the world in his interests, and reassured everybody around him with his presence. A lovely man. A lovely human being. I’m sorry to hear that he is gone.

– Gillian Slovo, former President of English PEN

I was Programme Director of English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee from 1991 to 2006 and Moris was Chair for several of those years. We worked closely, campaigning on behalf of writers worldwide persecuted or imprisoned for their writing. He was a tireless supporter of free expression and a ferocious advocate of human rights. For three decades Moris was the comrade of many imprisoned writers. Everyone knew his name. He was also my friend, my inspiration and my mentor.

Together we sent out numerous appeals and petitions, we demonstrated outside various embassies, visited writers abroad, hosted them here and attended international PEN congresses. We met released writers from Iran, Kenya, Nigeria, Syria and Turkey among other countries. Moris always travelled with hope in his heart. He was self-assured and believed whole-heartedly in PEN’s ability to change the fate of nations. I think that’s why we were often successful. We never gave up and our tenacity would wear down a regime until they were forced to release a writer or grant us an audience just to shut us up.

Moris loved a particular Turkish restaurant in Highbury, we also hung out near his publisher, Saqi Books, in Westbourne Grove, attended book launches, and had meetings or dinner wherever PEN was based. Moris enjoyed a glass of Raqi and he’d smoke illicit cigarettes while we gossiped. When Moris drove, we would argue about the best route home – he claimed to have been a taxi driver as well as a wrestler, actor and writer. He always took the longest way to mine – perhaps he just enjoyed our chats at the end of an evening. He would often counsel me on my love life and promised to walk me down the aisle should I ever get married.

We remained friends after PEN, and I often sought his advice. I only began to see less of him when he moved to Brighton, but we remained in contact. I loved all his books and often asked him to read at events I had curated. To this day I use an extract from his novel Young Turk in my creative writing teaching. I commissioned him to write a story, ‘Cloud-Dervish’, for my refugee anthology, A Country of Refuge, published in 2016. For my latest launch in 2018, ill-health prevented him from attending. He wrote with his customary kindness: ‘I’ll be there in spirit as I always am with your wonderful work and achievements.’

Loving Moris was easy and I know he truly knew and loved me. It’s such a privilege to have known him. He was there through the deaths of my mother and my aunt, Josephine Pullein-Thompson, who was his PEN friend before me. He fought like a lion for those who had been imprisoned unjustly and displayed the same tenacity when he thought I was being treated unfairly. He was the kindest, bravest, truest person I’ve ever known. Like so many, I am bereft without him. Dear, sweet Moris, rest in peace.

– Lucy Popescu, former Director, English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee

A huge loss for the PEN community around the world. Moris Farhi, who chaired the Writers in Prison Committee at PEN International and at English PEN, who was the conscience-keeper of everyone who had the audacity to fill his shoes, has left us. He was 83. He had witnessed horrors of war, and he was a determined campaigner for writers at risk. I remember when I was elected to chair the Writers in Prison Committee at English PEN back in 2009 or so, he met me at an English PEN event and said that the job was in fact very simple. We had to defend every writer who was at risk, regardless of judging their views. It was a simple lesson, but it clarified so much, for he was clear in his thinking, forthright in his commitment, courageous in his writing, and warm in his encouragement.

– Salil Tripathi, Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee, PEN International

It was with great sadness that I heard this morning of the death of Moris Farhi. If Moris had been a footballer there would be placards the stadium around , held high by adoring grieving fans, with the single word ‘LEGEND.’ I had the good fortune in the 90s to be involved alongside Moris on the PEN ‘Writers in Prison’ Committee where his humanity, generosity and wisdom were our guiding light. (Lucy Popescu’s tribute expresses beautifully all that needs to be said about Moris in those days). As a lover of birds the days I treasure more than any other are those rare ones when i see a kingfisher. Any day you were in Moris’s company was a kingfisher day. As Horatio wished for Hamlet, ‘Good night, sweet Prince, and flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.’

David Holman, former member of English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee

I had the pleasure to meet Moris on several occasions. What will stay in the memory is the last two times I travelled with him to Stavanger, Norway and return with him to the UK. Last time, we were on the same plane and upon arrival to the airport, Moris was given a wheelchair and we were both taken through the priority entrance. When we arrived at a cafe inside the airport, Moris told me ‘She brought us quickly because I looked more handsome than you’ and laughed loudly. He kept buying me wine and food – whenever I tried to pay, he looked at me and said: ‘I am more handsome than you so I’ll pay’.  During the two hours wait for the flight, I learned from him more about his great fight for freedom of expression and his commitment to bring people together. Moris made an amazing energy to promote the cases of Syrian writers and poets persecuted by the Syrian regime. Accompanying him was a pleasure and even we are from different generations, I always felt him a friend who was ready to have crazy ideas in order to be happy. He will be missed very much.

– Ghias Al-Jundi, activist and writer

Musa, a man of infinite generosity, kindness and integrity. The kind of person who finds light even in the darkest of darkness, who can turn pain into laughter. A magician, a thinker and a warm, cuddly friend. A monument of lost universes and solid values. The world, and we all, will be poorer and sadder with his departure.

– Yudit Kiss, author and friend

We are inviting friends and colleagues to send your tributes to Moris to share here and with his loved ones. Please send your memories, thoughts and photos to cat@englishpen.org