Sharjah Festival Of African Literature To Be Held In January

Organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, the Sharjah Festival of African Literature will be held in January 2026 at University City Hall, Sharjah. It will have regional focus on Eastern and Southern Africa: Zanzibar, Ethiopia, South Africa. These regions have well-established literary communities, recognized authors, and growing publishing networks. Their diversity and literary depth align with the festival’s vision of celebrating the rich, multifaceted voices of African literature. The festival will highlight Zanzibari heritage through storytelling and authors’ sessions.

The event will offer workshops that engage participants in traditional crafts and practices, showcase Zanzibari cuisine via cookery demonstrations and tastings, present musical performances that celebrate Zanzibar’s unique sounds, create platforms for dialogue that promote cultural understanding and connections and poetry sessions with other Emirati poets.Through these initiatives, SFAL seeks to build bridges between cultures, celebrate diversity, and encourage ongoing cultural dialogue within the UAE.