Is the Freedom of Books Under Threat? - Opening Event #BannedBooks

The national campaign #BannedBooks focuses week 41 on censorship, book bans, freedom of expression and democracy. The opening event takes place in the Main Hall at Aarhus Central Library and is free - but requires a ticket, which can be booked via "Get tickets".

The programme features four speakers: Mille Rode, secretary general of Danish PEN, in conversation with Kasey Meehan, head of PEN America's Freedom to Read programme (participating digitally). Author Mads Ananda Lodahl, whose work explores life as an outsider, is launching the novel GAYLIENATION - George Michael Participates in an Indecent Act in October 2026. Eva Svejvig, department head at Favrskov Libraries, discusses the pressure the library faced between political criticism and professional standards when they were criticised for lending a book about masturbation for children. Finally, Marie Østergaard, chief librarian of Aarhus Libraries and chair of Public Libraries 2030, participates.

#BannedBooks is inspired by the American Banned Books Week, which since 1982 has marked the fight against book bans and censorship - an observance also found in Norway, Sweden and the UK. This is the second year Danish PEN is behind the campaign. Read more at https://danskpen.dk/forbudte-boeger/om-kampagnen/.

Before and after the event, you can watch the documentary 'The Librarians', which depicts how American librarians have become frontline figures for democracy and freedom of expression. The film is shown at 13:00-14:30 and again at 16:30-18:00.