British writer Salman Rushdie makes his first public appearance at a New York gala since knife attack last year

British writer Salman Rushdie, who was attacked on stage a year ago in an incident that endangered his life, made his first public appearance at a New York gala. As a result of the attack, Rushdie lost sight in one eye. At the event hosted by PEN America, a group dedicated to defending freedom of expression and literature, Rushdie received an honorary award. He arrived at the gala wearing glasses with a black lens over his injured eye.

Rushdie’s attendance at the event was kept secret until the last moment. During the gala, he delivered a moving speech to the 700 guests, emphasizing that terrorism should not instill fear and violence must not deter people. He expressed his sentiments in French, Spanish, and English, as reported by a press release from PEN America.

After the publication of his novel “The Satanic Verses” in 1988, Rushdie lived in hiding for many years as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s first supreme leader, issued a fatwa calling for his assassination. Since then, Rushdie has become an influential advocate for free speech and continues to champion the power of words.

The attack on Rushdie occurred on August 12, 2022, during a literary conference in Chautauqua, upstate New York. A knife-wielding assailant stormed the stage just as Rushdie was about to speak. Rushdie was stabbed approximately 10 times, resulting in the loss of sight in one eye and the use of one hand, as revealed by his literary agent Andrew Wylie in October.

The attacker was swiftly apprehended by bystanders and security personnel. Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old individual with Lebanese roots from New Jersey, pleaded not guilty to assault charges and remains in jail awaiting trial.

During the gala, Rushdie expressed his gratitude to those who intervened to save his life, stating that he owed his survival to their heroic actions. He also opened up about the challenges he faced in writing and revealed that he was experiencing post-traumatic stress.

While the attack shocked many in the Western world, it received support from extremists in certain Muslim countries. Nonetheless, Rushdie’s resilience and determination to continue speaking out against censorship and promoting free expression remain unwavering.