Sharjah African Literature Festival: A Celebration of Storytelling, Culture, and Exchange
Sharjah continues to affirm its status as a global cultural hub with the launch of the Sharjah African Literature Festival, held from January 24 to 27, 2024, at the University City of Sharjah. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi and the guidance of Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, this festival is a remarkable initiative that fosters literary exchange, dialogue, and appreciation of African storytelling traditions.
Bridging Continents Through Literature
Organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, the festival carried the theme "The Story of Africa," emphasizing the deep-rooted narratives that shape the continent's literary landscape. Bringing together 29 renowned African and Emirati writers, including Nobel Prize laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Wole Soyinka, the event provided a platform for discussions, performances, and immersive experiences, strengthening the literary and cultural ties between Africa and the Arab world.
Engaging Discussions and Literary Dialogues
Over four days, the festival featured:
✅ 8 discussion panels, exploring themes in African literature.
✅ 3 inspiring seminars, delving into storytelling, character creation, and literary institutions.
✅ 12 interactive workshops for children, introducing them to African folklore, pottery, and traditional crafts.
✅ Live musical concerts and roaming performances, celebrating the continent’s diverse artistic expressions.
The "Book Talk" discussion series highlighted significant literary works, while panel discussions such as “More Than Wakanda” tackled Africa’s rich storytelling traditions beyond mainstream narratives.
One of the standout sessions, "Building Institutions that Promote Reading," featured Kenyan writer Mara Menezes, Emirati poet Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, and legal expert Ifeoma Esire, discussing strategies for fostering a reading culture. Another engaging discussion, "Creating Immortal Characters," brought together notable Nigerian, Zimbabwean, and Emirati writers to examine how literature can preserve and reflect cultural identities.
A Feast for the Senses: Culinary and Musical Experiences
Beyond literature, the festival provided a sensory journey into African heritage.
🍲 Cooking sessions with Chef Lilian Elida, Ozoz Sokoh, and Anna Odubang introduced audiences to the rich flavors of African cuisine.
🎵 Live performances showcased African musical traditions, blending Sudanese five-tone melodies, Arabic rhythms, and contemporary African beats. The festival’s highlight was a concert by South African opera singer Anne Masina, whose powerful vocals created a fusion of classical and African musical elements.
Poetry and the Power of Words
The festival concluded with a powerful poetry evening titled “Free Voices”, hosted by Emirati poet Sheikha Al Mutairi. Poets from Africa and the UAE, including Wana Odubang, Ali Al Abdan, and Deborah Johnson, shared their verses, embodying cultural dialogue and the shared human experience.
Sharjah’s Vision: A Global Cultural Exchange
The Sharjah African Literature Festival is more than a literary event—it is a testament to Sharjah’s commitment to cultural diplomacy. By fostering dialogue between Africa and the Arab world, the emirate continues to build bridges that transcend geography, language, and history.
With this inaugural edition setting a high standard, Sharjah is well on its way to becoming a major center for African and global literature, ensuring that storytelling remains a powerful tool for unity, understanding, and celebration of cultural diversity. African Literature Festival", which is held from January 24 to 27 at the "University City of Sharjah", will witness 8 discussion panels that address a selection of books, 3 inspiring seminars and 12 workshops for children, in addition to musical concerts and roaming shows that celebrate the richness of African culture.
The festival, organized by the "Sharjah Book Authority" under the slogan "The Story of Africa", aims to enhance constructive dialogue and cultural exchange between the Arab world and Africa, and introduce residents and visitors of all nationalities to the aesthetics of African literature and the pivotal role it plays in enriching the global cultural scene, in addition to consolidating Sharjah's position as a global cultural center and a bridge for cultural communication between all cultures of the world.
Over the course of four days, the festival, which brings together 29 African and Emirati novelists and writers, including Nobel Prize winners such as Abdul Razak Gurnah and Wole Soyinka, will organize a comprehensive program of activities and events that contribute to enhancing the public’s communication with an elite group of African writers and artists, starting with a series of discussion panels entitled “Book Talk”, which highlights a selection of books and delves into discussing their various topics.
The festival also dedicates 12 interactive workshops for young visitors, including the African jewelry workshop, pottery making, drawing African stories on stones, and the African folklore stories workshop, which inspires children and provides them with a practical opportunity to explore the crafts, artistic techniques, and traditional literary narratives in Africa. The festival also provides food lovers and culinary arts enthusiasts with the opportunity to attend 4 cooking sessions presented by Chef Lilian Elida and Nigerian writers Ozoz Sokoh and Anna Odubang.
Three inspiring seminars delve into African customs and traditions, as well as the techniques of literature, storytelling and narrative. A discussion session titled “More Than Wakanda” will host Guinean writer Cheryl Ntumi, Nigerian writer Wole Talabe and Zimbabwean writer Tendai Hutcho, moderated by writer Laila Mohammed, to highlight the rich fabric of African culture, the intertwining of history and the future, and characters that go beyond popular perception. Meanwhile, award-winning Kenyan writer and storyteller Mara Menezes will present a reading session on the second day of the festival. The session, titled “Building Institutions that Promote Reading,” hosted Emirati writer and poet Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, writer Kinanawo Fili, and lawyer Ifeoma Esire, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, moderated by Emirati critic Dr. Mariam Al Hashimi. The speakers discussed strategies for building institutions that promote the culture of reading and its love in the hearts of society. Nigerian writers Fatima Bala, Chika Ongwe, and Nnamdi Ehirem, along with Emirati writer Saliha Obaid, presented a session titled “Creating Immortal Characters,” to discuss the process of building characters capable of embodying African and Middle Eastern cultures.
The festival completed its rich program with touring artistic performances and musical concerts that showcase African rhythms and melodies in a festive atmosphere that provides visitors with a window into the essence of African heritage music, which includes Sudanese five-tone melodies, African and Arab rhythms, while the third day witnesses a musical concert hosting artist Anne Masina, who combines the art of opera with voices from South Africa.
The festival concluded its activities with a poetry evening entitled "Free Voices", moderated by Emirati poet Sheikha Al Mutairi, with the participation of 6 talented poets from the United Arab Emirates and various African countries, namely; Wana Odubang, Ali Al Abdan, Mariam Boukar, Mohammed Al Habsi, Deborah Johnson, and Dami Ajayi, who shared their experiences, feelings, and creative visions with the audience, embodying cultural dialogue, common humanity, and collective heritage across borders. It is noteworthy that the first "Sharjah African Literature Festival" embodies the vision of the Emirate of Sharjah and the "Sharjah Book Authority" in linking the continents of the world through the common literary and cultural heritage, building solid bridges for communication and cultural exchange, and opening new channels for understanding, dialogue, and cultural relations that are not limited to understanding the other, but are keen to honor and celebrate him.
Article / Photo: Mohammed Rahhal
Video: KMA YouTube / Sharjah 24 YouTube
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