H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), inaugurated the second edition of the Sharjah Festival of African Literature (SFAL), Image SBA
By Erin L. Cox, Publisher | @erinlcox
‘Africa’s stories are written in books, woven by its landscapes, crafts and songs, and the way of life of its peoples.’
On Wednesday, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), inaugurated the second edition of the Sharjah Festival of African Literature (SFAL).
Mariam Mwinyi and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Image SBA
Hosted in Sharjah University City, this five-day festival (January 14-18) explores the present and future of African literature and highlights the cross cultural connections between the two regions. The program brings together 20 African writers and 9 Emirati authors in panel discussions, poetry readings, children’s workshops, booksignings, and musical performances.
This year’s festival is themed “The African Way” and has a focus on the literary culture in Ethiopia, South Africa, and Zanzibar.
Speaking at the inauguration, H.E. Mariam Mwinyi, First Lady of Zanzibar and Founder and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation (ZMBF), which has a mission to enhance the quality of life for the people of Zanzibar, said, “Africa’s stories are not only written in books; they are woven into our landscapes, our crafts, our songs, and our ways of life. Literature, like heritage, carries memory, identity, and possibilities for the future.”
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi presents award to Tsitsi Dangarembga, Image SBA
Zimbabwean novelist and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was honored with SFAL’s Sharjah Lifetime Achievement in Literature Award, in recognition of her literary and intellectual journey and her significant contribution to African and world literature. Dangarembga is the author of three novels, Nervous Conditions, which was the winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; This Mournable Body, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and The Book of Not. She was also awarded the Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels (Peace Prize of the German Book Trade) in 2021.
The program continues until Sunday and will spotlight contemporary African literature, its evolving narratives and emerging trends, while strengthening cultural exchange between Africa and the Arab world.
H.E. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri said in his remarks, “Sharjah has long been connected to Africa through books, markets, expeditions and language. Today, under the leadership and guidance of H.H. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, this connection is renewed through literature and thought. The festival is a living expression of the depth of UAE-Africa ties, and offers an opportunity to rediscover them in a future-driven contemporary way.”