The Sharjah African Literature Festival returns for its second edition, organized by the Sharjah Book Authority at the University City in Sharjah, from January 14 to 18, 2026. The festival will build on the success of its first edition, which attracted over 10,000 visitors, by offering a new approach to understanding the African literary experience through themes that reflect societal transformations and the memory of peoples.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, said: "The Sharjah African Literature Festival reflects the global cultural role that Sharjah has acquired as a comprehensive international center that sees literature as a shared human space that transcends borders and classifications. This role—which the emirate undertakes with responsibility and a long-term vision—grows in importance in shaping the course of world literature, as it enhances cultural diversity, enriches local literary practice through global exchange, supports translation, expands the international presence of writers and publishers, and affirms the status of literature as a vital force in shaping global human consciousness."
In turn, the CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, Ahmed bin Rakad Al Amiri, said: "Organizing the new edition reinforces the Sharjah Book Authority's commitment to expanding spaces for cultural dialogue and showcasing the creative diversity of the world. The festival is a unique platform for discovering the African literary experience, interacting with it critically and aesthetically, and contributing to advancing the movement of translation and publishing, generating new knowledge that reflects the depth and influence of this literature."
In its new edition, the festival aims to deepen the presence of African literature in the local and Arab cultural landscape, highlight the richness of African narrative and poetic experiences, and foster cultural exchange through direct dialogues between writers, publishers, academics, and the public, thereby contributing to building long-term knowledge-based and human bridges between the African continent and the region.
The festival features a diverse program of activities, including panel discussions, dialogue sessions on literature, identity, and memory, and workshops for children and adolescents to introduce them to African heritage and folklore. It also includes artistic and musical performances, African culinary experiences, and an art exhibition celebrating the aesthetics of the image and color in African culture, offering the public a chance to experience a complete cultural immersion. The first edition of the festival attracted 10,000 visitors.
