In conjunction with the inaugural Canadian Writers’ Summit taking place June 15-19, 2016 at Harbourfront in Toronto, The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is launching its #WhyWritersMatter Campaign.
Canadian writers play an essential and pivotal role in every aspect of our lives. The #WhyWritersMatter Campaign is designed to remind us of the value and importance of writers, and the role they play in our lives.
TWUC is asking all Canadians why they think writers matter in today’s world. The Union is honoured by the responses it has received to date:
Writers enhance our understanding of one another, fostering a sense of connectedness that nurtures a compassionate society. — Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario
Writers matter because they preserve and strengthen culture and stories. — Waubgeshig Rice, Author and Journalist
Writers matter because we weave the narrative threads that connect us with each other and with shared place. — Heather Menzies, Chair, The Writers’ Union of Canada
Writers set off sparks in our minds and hearts, start wheels of empathy turning, shine rays of perspective. Writers leave readers transformed. — Gillian Deacon, CBC Host, Here and Now
Writers matter because they make things up which are true. — The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
To understand, explore, lament, and glory in all that makes us human, we turn to stories, to writers. — Randy Boyagoda, President PEN Canada
Writers are the nearest we’ve got so far to inventing telepathy and time travel. — Emma Donoghue, author and Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Room
Writers challenge the way things are by unravelling the stories of people and places that would otherwise remain unknown and strange to us. — Jael Richardson, Author and Artistic Director, The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD)
Tell us why YOU think writers matter. Tweet using the hashtag #whywritersmatter.
Visit www.whywritersmatter.com to find more quotes from other prominent Canadians and people around the world.
The Writers’ Union of Canada is Canada’s national organization representing more than 2,000 professional authors of books. The Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of all writers. www.writersunion.ca
For additional information:
John Degen, Executive Director
The Writers’ Union of Canada
416.703.8982 Ext. 221
jdegen@writersunion.ca