THE 12th edition of the LitFest Harare International Literature Festival, scheduled for later this month will celebrate the enduring power of creative expression to build bridges, preserve memory and shape identity in a rapidly evolving world.
Running under the Kalanga-inspired theme, Lebeleka Takawilila, meaning "Speak, we are listening", LitFest Harare 2025 runs from November 26 to 29 at the Alliance Francaise and the Theatre in the Park in Harare.
Festival director Chirikure Chirikure said the theme embodied the festival’s commitment to artistic continuity and cultural resonance, noting:
“Lebeleka Takawilila is a call to listen to the voices of our ancestors, to the rhythms of our present and to the echoes that will carry our stories into the future. This year’s festival is not only a celebration of literature but a tribute to the many languages through which art speaks and the legacies it leaves behind,” he said.
Now in its 12th year, LitFest Harare continues to position itself as a dynamic platform for literary and artistic expression, intercultural dialogue and community engagement.
According to Chirikure Chirikure, the 2025 edition will host more than 80 participants, including writers, poets, artists, scholars and cultural practitioners from at least eight countries, among them Botswana, Lesotho, Sweden, Malawi, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“The 2025 theme, Lebeleka Takawilila — The Languages and Legacies of Art, invites participants and audiences alike to reflect on how art in all its forms speaks across generations, languages and cultures. The Kalanga-inspired theme, meaning ‘Speak, we are listening’, celebrates the enduring power of creative expression to build bridges, preserve memory, and shape identity in a rapidly evolving world.”
LitFest Harare has, over the years, carried a tradition of showcasing inspiring lineups of readings, panel discussions, workshops, performances and community engagements.
- Yaza Africa partners Women Film Fest
- Yaza Africa partners Women Film Fest
- An Act of Man comes to Theatre In The Park
- Jeys Marabini takes Xola to Harare
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“Festival highlights include an opening evening reception, a theatrical production of the classic novel and O' Level set book, Tambaoga Mwanangu, an evening of poetic intersection, a silent reading hour and book swap, a visual poetry exhibition, poetry slam, as well as a closing concert in partnership with SoFar Sounds Harare, which celebrates African unity, to be held at a surprise location,” Chirikure Chirikure said.
