Mozambique National Literature Contest receives 500 entries

The submission period for the first edition of the National Literature Contest in Mozambique has concluded, with approximately 500 entries received from various regions of the country. Launched by President Daniel Chapo, the initiative aims to stimulate national literary production and recognize Mozambican writers and scholars.

The contest features four categories: Poetry, Children's and Youth Literature, Narrative Fiction (including short stories, novellas, and novels), and Essays on Literature. The total prize pool is 4 million meticais, with 1 million meticais awarded to the winner of each category. In addition to the monetary prizes, winning works will be edited and published for national distribution.

A jury has begun the technical screening process to ensure manuscripts meet regulatory requirements regarding genre, page count, and theme. To maintain integrity, the Ministry of Education and Culture, in coordination with the National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (INTIC), will use specialized software to detect the unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence. Any works proven to be generated by AI will be disqualified from the competition.