Abantu Book Festival presents poetry, book launches, panel discussions, theater, music, dance, food, fashion, and children’s activities curated at the highest level of excellence.
The first Abantu Book Festival took place between December 8th - 10th 2016. It was organized by Thando Mgqolozana, and it provided space for over fifty African writers to converge on Soweto, South Africa, to share their stories. The festival program included panel discussions, one-on-one interviews, film screenings, and performances centered around "Our Stories," exploring topical issues through brave voices engaging with social phenomena. One of the goals of this event was to build connections among diverse communities sharing similar experiences beyond racial, national, religious, gender and language boundaries.
Learn moreFeatured over 85 authors from all over Africa and the diaspora, making it a truly continental affair. The aim was to stimulate dialogue through artistic expressions of writing, music, dance, fashion, food, photography, architecture, film, and much more. This multidimensional approach allowed audiences to experience books beyond words on pages—as a way to connect people and ideas across disciplines. Throughout the week, visitors could attend readings, interviews, lectures, book clubs, author signings, panel discussions, workshops, and live performances. Featured guests included Manu Herbstein, Niyi Osundare, Chika Unigwe, Billy Kahora, Yewande Omotoyossi, and many others. There were three main venues hosting concurrent programming, ensuring something unique for every interest and age group. Overall, the second Abantu Book Festival celebrated Blackness and community while creating a space where writers could showcase their talents and passion to enthusiastic readers eager to discover tomorrow's treasures today.
Learn moreThis iteration of the festival featured a variety of literary programs such as keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops, music performances, film screenings, and a children's program. Some notable appearances included writer/activist Dr. Bibi Bakare-Yusuf delivering the keynote speech, author Thando Mgqolozana serving as festival director, and Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie participating in a conversation with Prof. Pumla Dineo Gqola. Attendees had the opportunity to browse books at the newly launched Abantu Bookstore during the event. Overall, this festival continued to prioritize representation of African diasporic literatures, cultural expressions, and intellectual traditions within contemporary global contexts.
Learn moreIn 2016, and with the help of multitudes --ordinary South Africans who had felt, sensed, and observed what he had – Thando launched the inaugural Abantu Book Festival in Soweto. For the next four years, the festival became the continent’s most popular annual literary production. By creating a platform where writers and readers from the black community realise the fullness of their humanity, Abantu Book Festival responded to the yearning of many, transforming the literary space and ushering a new ethos in the intellectual literary life of the continent. One of our key festival achievements is that through Abantu Bookstore, 6 000 books were sold each year over four (2016 – 2019) festival days. Most of them fiction.
Sponsors & Partners
Insights, Perspectives, and Conversations