SFAL 2026 to host Africa's prominent literary voices

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has announced the guest list for the second edition of the Sharjah Festival of African Literature (SFAL 2026), to be held from 14 to 18 January.

- Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The festival brings together leading African writers and creatives, showcasing the diversity of African narrative traditions and promoting cultural dialogue between Africa and the Arab world.

Hosted at the University City of Sharjah, SFAL 2026 will feature daily panel discussions, curated book sessions and signings.

The programme examines African literature past and present, with a focus on oral storytelling; literature's relationship with music, dance and the environment; emerging voices; illustration and visual storytelling; and the role of African cities as spaces of narrative discourse.

This year's guest list includes prominent figures from the African literary landscape, among them Lemn Sissay, the British poet, writer and playwright of Ethiopian heritage, widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary voices in spoken word and narrative literature. Sissay has performed on major international stages, from the US Library of Congress to the National Theatre of Ethiopia and the London Palladium.

His work has received wide international recognition, including the Hay Festival Medal for Poetry (2024).