Fez — Morocco’s IKLYLE network of cultural centers, which operates under the Fondation Mohammed VI de Promotion des Œuvres Sociales de l’Éducation-Formation, has launched the ninth edition of its “Young Short Story Writers Competition,” with submissions open from April 1 to May 15. 

The contest is taking place across the foundation’s centers in Rabat, Tangier, Tetouan, and Fez.

This year’s edition is organized in partnership with Bayt Al Hikma and Alfia bookstores, paying tribute to Moroccan writer and poet Mohammed Achaari. 

Organizers said the competition aims to encourage literary expression and narrative writing among young Moroccans, while also supporting emerging talent and expanding cultural exchange inside the participating centers.

The initiative began in 2018 at the Tetouan cultural center before expanding across the wider IKLYLE network. It forms part of the foundation’s broader cultural strategy to promote knowledge, support creative work, and strengthen regional cultural life through books and literary programming.

Who can apply

The competition is open to Moroccan nationals between 18 and 40 years old. Each participant may submit only one original short story, written in Modern Standard Arabic and ranging between 500 and 1,500 words. The text must not have been published before or entered in another competition. Applications must be submitted exclusively through the electronic form shared on the social media pages of the IKLYLE centers, with the deadline set for midnight on May 15, 2026.

After an initial administrative screening, entries will be reviewed by a jury made up of university academics, critics, and specialized writers. 

The panel will assess submissions based on creativity, narrative coherence, language quality, and compliance with the contest’s technical requirements. 

Results are scheduled to be announced in June through the centers’ social media channels, while winners will also be contacted directly.

Awards and broader cultural activity

The first three winners will receive MAD 8,000 (approximately $855), MAD 5,000 (around $535), and MAD 3,000 (around $320), respectively.

Their stories will be published in a collective volume. 

Organizers will also create a distinction list featuring around 20 selected stories, which will appear in the same collection alongside the prize-winning entries. 

In parallel, the four centers plan to host creative writing workshops, literary meetings, and activities for children and youth before the competition closes with an awards ceremony.

Over eight years, the competition has received more than 1,000 submissions and produced 94 laureates whose works were published in eight collections. 

Organizers also say past editions included more than 50 training sessions focused on books and literary creation.