The first edition of Rencontres Internationales du Livre Francophone will be hosted at the Francophone Cultural Center, Kigali, Rwanda from March 1-3, 2022.
Rencontres Internationales du Livre Francophone, which Google translate tells us is International Francophone Book Meetings, is a new literary event that will be hosted in Kigali this March. The event will bring together authors and professionals from the book and publishing sector from eleven countries. They will take part in conferences, round tables, musical readings, exhibitions, testimonials, and professional meetings. Exchanges with young people and trips to emblematic Rwandan cultural places are also planned.
Some of the writing personalities who will take part will be Alain Mabanckou, Hemley Boum, Wilfried N’Sonde, Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, Bias Diallo, Lamia Berrada, Ibrahima Aya, Venuste Kayimahe, Joseph Ndwaniye, Sami Tchak, Chantal Umuraza, Denyse Umuhuza, Charles Habonimana, Joëlle Épée, and many others.
Those who attend will find some of the following events;
Readings
- Hemley Boum
- Annie Ferret
- Lamia Berrada
Panels
- Writing in French, do you have to justify yourself? Alain Mabanckou, Béata Umubyeyi Mairesse, Ibrahima Aya, Bios Diallo, and Hemley Boum.
- Publishing and making people read in French-speaking Africa: Vincent Montagne, Joëlle Epée, Régine Hatchondo, Agnès Gyr, and Félix Mbabazi.
- Do children’s books and comics have a future in Africa? Vincent Montagne, Denyse Umuhuza, Félix Mbabazi, Agnès Gyr, and Joëlle Epée.
- The Africa of yesterday and today is told: orature and transmission to the new generation: Ibrahima Aya, Hemley Boum, Bios Diallo, Joseph Ndwaniye, Denyse Umuhuza
- Transmissions: the weight of silences, the need for words: Annie Ferret, Sami Tchak, Joseph Ndwaniye, Chantal Umuraza, and Charles Habonimana.
- Literature in Rwanda: Challenges and Opportunities: Aimable Twahirwa, Directeur général de la promotion Culturelle; Robert Masozera, Directeur général des musées nationaux; Yannick Miara, Editions Izuba Agnès Gyr, Editions Bakamé; and Samuel Sangwa, Directeur Afrique du CISAC
- The literature of the diaspora: “I am writing to you from there”: Sami Tchak, Joseph Ndwaniye, Lamia Berrada, and Chantal Umuraza
The event is organised by the French Embassy in Rwanda.
For more information about this event, please click here.
