Ex Tempore is a literary magazine published annually by the United Nations Society of Writers, or in French, Societé des écrivains des Nations Unies. The magazine was started in 1989. The editors seek contributions that are "crisp, impromptu, and as far away as possible from the stale UN jargon of declarations, resolutions and reports." 30 numbers have been issued, including the 180-page anniversary 30th compilation in all UN languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The WHO publication "New Special", with a circulation of 10,500 copies, published a two-page article by Sarah Jordan in February 2020 "Happy Anniversary" to mark 30 years of the publication of the literary journal. The April 2020 issue of "International Diplomat" carries an article entitled "30 Years United Nations Society of Writers" and notes "UNSW continues to advocate international solidarity in and through our cultural diversity, and would like to be seen as a herald of democracy. Over the centuries many authors and musicians have shared this vision of universal peace, e.g. Immanuel Kant in his famous essay on Perpetual Peace, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss, who founded the Salzburger Festspiele in 1920 to consecrate music and drama to the task of unifying nations and cultures, expressing the ineffable in music – that highest aesthetic form and vital principle of humanity’s striving for transcendence."
Following the general assembly of UNSW on 8 November 2019, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the magazine's officers are:
President: Marko Stanovic
Vice-president: Carla Edelenbos
Secretary: Amos Wama Taporaie
Treasurer: Ivaylo Petrov
Editor-in-chief: Alfred de Zayas
two new members joined the editorial committee. Honorary President: Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, United Nations Office in Geneva After 15 years as president of the Society, de Zayas retired from the position on 15 December 2005, remaining as editor of this literary magazine.
Volume 19. Because 2008 was the International Year of LanguagesEx Tempore featured languages as its main theme. It included 148 pages with poetry, short stories and drama written by 43 authors in 14 languages, including Latin.
Volume 20. 160 pages in 13 languages, including Hebrew and Esperanto.
Volume 21. Dedicated to "music, the international language"; 104 pages.
Volume 22. Dedicated to Jean-Jacques Rousseau; 168 pages.
Volume 24. Dedicated to the Verdi/Wagner bicentennial, swans, cows, love.
Volume 25. Dedicated to 25 years of UN writers.
Volume 26. Dedicated to the environment, COP21 and reconciliation.
Volume 27. Dedicated to the history of poetry and poetic correspondence.
Volume 28. Covering international day of happiness, music, populism, and bringing an interview with Jean Ziegler
Volume 29. with essays about law and justice, fake news, fake history, fake law, fake diplomacy, fake democracy and great new poems
Volume 30. with articles from the essay-writing, poetry and blogging workshops held at the UN library on 27 September 2019.
Special events
On 5 October 2008 Ex Tempore hosted the Mahmoud Darwish memorial lecture, during which poems of the recently deceased Palestinian poet were read out in Arabic, and in English and French translation.
On 23 January 2009 the magazine hosted the traditional salon, attended by 52 people. The 14th annual salon took place on 22 January 2010, with 73 participants, and the 15th was on 21 January 2011.
On 14 August 2014, celebration of 25 years UNSW at the Press Bar, Palais des Nations.
On 14 October 2014, UN Library event on 25 years Ex Tempore.,
On 23 January 2015 the 19th annual salon was held with 63 poets and essayists attending
On 22 January 2016 the 20th annual salon was held with 61 participants.
On 16 November 2016 - conference/concert with Eric Noyer and Marie Neeser
On 20 January 2017 - 21st annual salon with 54 in the audience and 17 readers.
On 26 January 2018 - 22nd annual salon with 56 in the audience and 15 readers.
On 25 January 2019 - 23rd annual salon with 59 in the audience and 14 readers.
On 27 September 2019 - celebration of the 30th anniversary of the UNSW and Ex Tempore at the UN Library. See Article in the UN Special of November 2019.
On 24 September 2020 - 24th annual salon with 48 in the audience and 15 readers in English, French, German, Latin, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
