Fez — The fourth edition of the African Book Festival of Marrakech (FLAM) will take place from April 23 to 25 under the theme “Imagining Other Possibilities,” positioning literature and the arts as tools for reflection and renewal in a turbulent global context.
Hosted primarily at the Cultural Center “Les Étoiles de Jamaâ El Fna” in Marrakech, the festival will also extend its activities to partner schools and universities, aiming to broaden access to intellectual exchange and intergenerational dialogue.
Organizers present FLAM as a platform for debate, critical thought, and cultural resistance at a time marked by ideological tensions, xenophobic narratives, and social and climate challenges. Through literature, poetry, and artistic expression, the festival seeks to create space for African thinkers and writers to question the present and envision alternative futures.
A space for lucid optimism
This year’s theme reflects what organizers describe as a form of “lucid optimism” — a belief in the transformative power of imagination without ignoring contemporary crises.
The 2026 edition will bring together prominent authors from across Africa and its diasporas, including Patrick Chamoiseau, Yanick Lahens, Alain Mabanckou, Daniel Maximin, Chigozie Obioma, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Boris Boubacar Diop, Lyonel Trouillot, Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Blaise Ndala, and Touhfat Mouhtare.
Moroccan writers Driss Ksikes, Hajar Azel, Samira El Ayachi, and Mustapha Fahmi are also among the invited participants.
According to organizers, the festival aims not only to amplify African intellectual voices but also to challenge dominant global narratives, highlighting perspectives shaped by lived experience across diverse social and political landscapes.
Youth programming and artistic dialogue
Beyond panel discussions and book presentations, youth programming remains a central pillar of FLAM. The 2026 edition will feature workshops, masterclasses, and encounters designed to engage younger audiences and promote reading and creative expression.
The festival also emphasizes its multidisciplinary dimension. In addition to literary exchanges, the program includes children’s storytelling sessions in the mornings and evening events blending poetry, music, and theater.
This year’s festival poster is designed by artist Zoulikha Bouabdellah, whose work reflects trans-African and international mobility. An accompanying art exhibition will further strengthen the dialogue between literature and visual arts.
With its fourth edition, FLAM continues to consolidate its role as a key intellectual gathering in Marrakech, offering what organizers describe as a space where imagination becomes both refuge and catalyst for change.
