Morocco hosts major literary events in Rabat and Asilah

Morocco is hosting several significant literary events as part of its designation as the 2026 UNESCO World Book Capital. In Rabat, the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco launched the ‘Maison des mondes du livre’. This initiative aims to establish writer residences, debate spaces, and an African library across the city. The project launched with a selection of 54 reference works, representing one book from each African country, including works by Aimé Césaire.

The launch event featured Nobel laureates Wole Soyinka and Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio. The initiative seeks to foster a literary space for Africa and beyond, incorporating contemporary literature and oral traditions into its collection.

In the city of Asilah, the Buland Al-Haidari Prize was awarded to poets Abu Bakr Malliti of Morocco and Zain Al-Abidin Al-Najafi of Iraq. The ceremony celebrated the cultural heritage of the Arab world and aimed to foster connections between Moroccan and Iraqi literary traditions through the recognition of poetic excellence.