The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) will collaborate with Rabat, Morocco, the 2026 UNESCO World Book Capital, to promote African literature, following an agreement to organise a Pan-African Literary Summit in the Moroccan capital in 2027.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between PAWA Secretary-General, Dr Wale Okediran, and the Commissioner of the Rabat World Book Capital programme, Madam Latifat Moftaqir, in Rabat today, Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
According to a statement issued by Okediran, PAWA will also participate in some of the activities lined up to mark Rabat’s year as the UNESCO World Book Capital.
The meeting was held as part of preparations for a ceremony scheduled for October 16, 2026, in Rabat to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Nigerian writer, Professor Wole Soyinka.
The proposed Pan-African Literary Summit is expected to provide a platform for writers and other stakeholders to promote African literature, strengthen collaboration among literary organisations and advance the continent’s literary development.
UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, announced Rabat as the designated World Book Capital for 2026 on October 8, 2024.
The UNESCO World Book Capital initiative recognises cities that commit to promoting books, reading and literacy among people of all ages and backgrounds, as well as organising year-long programmes to encourage reading and support the publishing industry.
The programme begins on April 23, which UNESCO observes as World Book and Copyright Day. The date commemorates the deaths of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, among other notable literary figures.
Since the initiative began, several cities across the world have received the designation. African cities previously named UNESCO World Book Capitals include Alexandria, Egypt, in 2002; Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 2014; Conakry, Guinea, in 2017; and Accra, Ghana, in 2023.
PAWA’s planned collaboration with Rabat is expected to strengthen cultural and literary exchanges between African countries and create opportunities for greater visibility for African writers and their works on the international stage.
