Abuja is set to host a new international festival of literature and ideas that will bring writers, policymakers, scientists, artists and cultural leaders together to examine issues including peacebuilding, democracy, artificial intelligence, intellectual property and the future of creative work.
The Abuja Festival of Literature & Ideas (AFLI) is being presented by the Book Buzz Foundation in partnership with the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, with the participation of the embassies of Italy, Spain and Sweden.
Organizers say the festival is designed to move beyond literary discussions by creating a platform for public dialogue on issues that influence policy, society and everyday life.
Among the international speakers is Sergio Jaramillo, former High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia and one of the principal architects of the Colombian peace process. His session, How Divided Societies Learn to Dialogue, will examine how societies emerging from conflict can build trust through dialogue and negotiation.
The festival will also examine the policy and social implications of artificial intelligence, particularly its impact on authorship, intellectual property, privacy, artistic labor and human creativity.
Stephane M. Grueso will lead discussions on artificial intelligence and culture, while Swedish digital policy expert Carl Heath will explore the changing relationship between technology, creativity and society in a session titled Musings on the Internet.
The festival will also spotlight Nigeria’s cultural and regional diversity, with discussions on Northern Nigerian women’s fiction and the aspirations of young people in the region.
A panel featuring Nana Sule, Hadiza El-Rufai, Fatima Bala and Edify Yakusak will examine emerging themes in Northern Nigerian women’s literature, while a Youth Speak session will bring together Khadija Sanusi, Maryam Laushi Dasilva, Raymond J. Yusuff, Usman Hayatu and Nana Fatima Bello to discuss the future of young people in Northern Nigeria.
Other sessions will address migration, identity, health, science and personal agency, alongside an evening of poetry featuring Deborah Johnson, Moyosola Olowookure, Salim Yunusa and Mariam Abdullahi.
Founder of the Book Buzz Foundation, Lola Shoneyin, said the initiative was intended to position Abuja as a stronger platform for intellectual and cultural exchange.
“Abuja deserves to be part of the global conversations around literature, ideas and culture,” Shoneyin said.
She said the festival would bring together different perspectives to discuss “peace, technology, identity, democracy, creativity” and other major issues shaping contemporary society.
According to Shoneyin, the initiative builds on her previous experience organizing literary events in Abuja and is intended to create sustained opportunities for meaningful public engagement.
The festival is expected to strengthen cultural links between Nigeria, Europe and the wider international community while creating a platform where literature and ideas can contribute to conversations about public policy, social development and Nigeria’s place in the global cultural landscape.
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