The Bulgarian PEN Center was established in 1926 with Prof. Ivan Shishmanov as its chairman. It brings together about 40 prominent Bulgarian writers: Elisaveta Bagryana, Dora Gabe, Prof. Alexander Balabanov, Angel Karaliychev, Elin Pelin, Yordan Yovkov, Nikolay Liliev, Todor Vlaykov, Teodor Trayanov, Stiliyan Chilingirov, Nikolay Raynov, Yordan Stubel, etc.
The chairmen of the Bulgarian PEN have been: Prof. Alexander Balabanov, Dora Gabe, Prof. Bogdan Filov, Anna Kamenova (1967 – 1971), Leda Mileva (1971 – 1980), Lilyana Stefanova (1980 – 1991), Bogomil Nonev (1991 – 1995), Nevena Stefanova (1995 – 1999), Georgi Konstantinov, Boyko Lambovski and Zdravka Evtimova. Currently, the chairman of the PEN Center in Prof. Amelia Licheva.

The PEN Center organization is the oldest organization for the protection of human rights and the oldest international literary organization. Initially, the organization united “poets, essayists and novelists”, but now includes writers from all types of literature, such as journalists and historians.

The Bulgarian PEN focuses on defending significant public causes related to violated civil rights, trampling on freedom of speech, attacks on writers, as was the case with Salman Rushdie. The organization also advocates more union goals related to defending copyright, protecting the work of translators, helping struggling writers, etc. The Bulgarian organization has repeatedly collected donations to help sick writers or the relatives of deceased authors. As an organization, it supports not only its members, but also the writing community in general.

PEN also organizes many public readings, book presentations. Its representatives participate in national and international juries, nominate artists for awards, etc. In recent years, an Anthology of works by members of the organization has also been published.

Literature, regardless of its nationality and origin, knows no boundaries and must remain a common currency between peoples, regardless of political or international cataclysms.

In all circumstances, and especially in times of war, works of art and libraries are the heritage of humanity as a whole, and must be left untouched by national or political passion.

Members of PEN Center must always use their influence for the benefit of good understanding and mutual respect between peoples, and undertake to do everything possible to dispel racial, class, and national animosities, and to fight for the ideal of one humanity living in peace in the world.

PEN means to uphold the principle of the unimpeded transmission of thought within each nation and among all peoples, and members pledge to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of speech in their country or to their community.

PEN  declares its support for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace. It believes that the world needs to achieve a higher organized political and economic order, and therefore it is imperative to be able to criticize governments, administrations and institutions. And since freedom implies voluntary limitation, the members themselves pledge to oppose such evils of a free press as false publication, deliberate lies and distortion of facts for political and personal ends…

Among the objectives of the organization are:
•    to emphasize the role of literature in the development of mutual understanding and world culture;
•    to fight for freedom of expression, as well as to act as a strong voice on behalf of repressed writers, imprisoned and sometimes killed for their views.