Rabat Hosts First Literary Festival Dedicated to Women Writers from Four Continents
In Rabat, designated as UNESCO World Book Capital 2026, thirty female authors convened for the literary festival "Le monde écrit par elles," which spotlighted women's literature from the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and sub-Saharan Africa. Taking place at the Bibliothèque nationale de Rabat, this event is a first for Morocco and potentially for the Arab world. Organized as part of the Littératures itinérantes festival by Nadia Essalmi, notable participants included Gaëlle Belem, whose book Le fruit le plus rare appeared on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2025; Académie Goncourt member Camille Laurens; award-winning author Osvald Lewat; and Fawzia Zouari, president of the Parlement des écrivaines francophones. This festival underscores Rabat's importance in literature and enhances the visibility of francophone women writers.
Key facts
- Thirty women writers convened in Rabat for a festival titled "Le monde écrit par elles".
- The event took place at the Bibliothèque nationale de Rabat and was part of the Littératures itinérantes festival.
- Rabat is UNESCO World Book Capital 2026.
- Participants came from both shores of the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and sub-Saharan Africa.
- Nadia Essalmi, editor and author, founded the festival in Morocco.
- Gaëlle Belem's Le fruit le plus rare was the only French novel on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2025; she won the Académie française Anna de Noailles prize in 2026.
- Camille Laurens has published eleven novels and has been a member of the Académie Goncourt since 2020.
- Fawzia Zouari presides over the Parlement des écrivaines francophones and was named Chevalière de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2019.
Entities
Artists
- Nadia Essalmi
- Gaëlle Belem
- Camille Laurens
- Osvald Lewat
- Fawzia Zouari
- Safy Nebbou
- Diam's
Institutions
- Bibliothèque nationale de Rabat
- Littératures itinérantes
- RFI
- Académie française
- International Booker Prize
- prix Renaudot
- prix Folio-Télérama
- New York Times
- Le Monde
- Le Figaro
- Le Magazine littéraire
- The Guardian
- Gallimard
- Académie Goncourt
- prix Femina
- prix RTL Lire
- prix Kourouma
- Grand prix panafricain de littérature
- éd. Philippe Rey/Jimsaan
- Institut du monde arabe
- Jeune Afrique
- Parlement des écrivaines francophones
- ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Joëlle Losfeld
- Le Rocher
- Plon
- Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie
- Grand Prix littéraire de Provence
- Comar d'Or de Tunisie
- UNESCO
Locations
- Rabat
- Morocco
- La Réunion
- Paris
- France
- Italy
- Caribbean
- Indian Ocean
- sub-Saharan Africa
- Cameroon
- Tunisia