Saturday 30 June & Sunday 1 July 2012, 12-6pm
Brunei Gallery Building (SOAS) & Torrington Square
The RAS is pleased to present Africa Writes – a festival celebrating contemporary African literature and writers, taking place on Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July 2012.
Africa Writes aims to enhance coverage and discussion about African literature and writers. Every year, Africa Writes will showcase established and emerging literary talent from Africa and the Diaspora during a weekend-long series of events, including a major lecture with a high profile African literary figure; book launches, readings, workshops, panel discussions and children’s activities; a 2-day international book fair showcasing publishers of African literature; and a pan-African food market featuring dishes from around the continent.
This year Africa Writes will mark the 50th anniversary of the African Writers Series. Confirmed authors taking part in the festival include: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ellen Banda-Aaku, Nuruddin Farah, Kojo Laing, Lily Mabura, Jack Mapanje, Obi Okigbo, Noo Saro-Wiwa, E. E. Sule, Goretti Kyomuhendo and the five shortlisted Caine Prize writers for 2012 – Rotimi Babatunde, Billy Kahora, Stanley Kenani, Melissa Tandiwe Myambo, and Constance Myburgh. Participating poets include: Modeste Hugues, Oxmo Pucion, Kety Nevyabandi Bikura, Shalija Patel, T.J. Dema, Paul Dakeyo, Bewketu Seyoum, Abdulahi Botaan Hassan ‘Kurweyne’, Warsan Shire, Sam Elmi, Elmi Ali, Inua Ellams,Yemisi Blake, Safia Elhillo, Mariama Khan, Togara Muzanenhamo, and Lemn Sissay.
Festival highlights include: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s main lecture (Saturday, 30th June, 6-7:30pm); an audience with the 2012 Caine Prize Shortlisted writers, in collaboration with the Black Reading Group and the London Afro-Caribbean Book Club (Saturday, 30th June, 3-4:30pm); interactive story-telling for children (Sunday, 1st July, 12-1pm); and panel discussions on the current publishing landscape for contemporary African writing and the dilemmas of African Diaspora writers. The festival’s closing event will be Word from Africa, part of Poetry Parnassus at the Southbank (Sunday, 1st July, 6-10pm).
*All events are free and open to the public except for the Caine Prize event (RSVP to tricia@paulwombell.demon.co.uk) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s lecture (RSVP here).
The Royal African Society is a membership organisation – Please click here to find out more.
Please RSVP for all RAS events to RSVP@royalafricansociety.org
For the latest version of our events programme, please visit our website.
