Himalayan Literature Festival begins tomorrow to promote Nepali culture internationally

The Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers’ event is set to begin tomorrow with the aim of promoting Nepali literature, art, and culture on the international stage. Organized by White Lotus Bookshop and poet Yuyutsu Sharma, the eight-day festival will run from Jestha 15 to 22.

At a press conference on Sunday, festival coordinator Yuyutsu Sharma stated that the event has been held for the past three years to introduce Nepali literature and art globally, and this year it continues that tradition.

The organizers have announced that renowned poets, novelists, translators, filmmakers, scholars, and journalists from around the world will participate. Notable attendees include Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith, Paul Muldoon, acclaimed novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz, poet and translator Tony Barnstone, and Irish literary editor Martin Doyle, along with literary figures from Nepal, India, Ireland, Austria, Poland, the United States, and other countries.

The festival will feature various sessions on topics such as poetry, editing, magical realism, artificial intelligence, creative writing, women’s literature, indigenous narratives, trauma and healing, meditation and creation, translation, performance art, and literature in the digital age.

Workshops from Jestha 15 to 20 will be held at the Malla Hotel in Thamel and various historic temples, monasteries, and tourist sites in Kathmandu, aiming to bring participants closer to Nepali culture and environment.

On Jestha 21 and 22, book launches, poetry readings, and cultural programs will take place, according to program director Srijana Bhandari. Poetry readings will be divided into three generations, featuring poets from the older generation like Shailendra Sakar, Dwarika Shrestha, and Hari Adhikari, as well as new-generation poets such as Abhay Shrestha, Thakur Belbase, Radhika Kalpit, and Usha Sherchan.

Another major highlight of the festival will be the ‘Poetry Film Festival’, the first of its kind in Nepal, which will present a combination of poetry and visuals.

The Himalayan Literature Festival is collaborating with international organizations such as the New York Writers Workshop, Asian American Writers Workshop, and Austria Asian Philosopher Writers Workshop.

The main objective of the festival is to bring Nepali literature to the international stage and strengthen multilingual and multicultural exchanges, as stated by the organizers.