Himalayan Literature Festival 2027 to bring acclaimed international writers to Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Nov 10: Come May 2027, acclaimed writers, poets, novelists and literary scholars from North America, Europe, Asia and beyond will converge on Kathmandu for a nine-day celebration of literature, creativity and cultural exchange.

The Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers’ Workshop (HLF-WWK) 2027, scheduled for May 29 to June 6, will bring together international literary voices alongside prominent Nepali and South Asian writers.

Organised by White Lotus Book Shop in collaboration with the New York Writers Workshop, the festival will feature renowned Irish novelist Colm Tóibín, American novelist Joyce Maynard, poets Victoria Chang and Ann Hood, and travel writer Suzanne Roberts, among other distinguished participants, according to the organisers.

A six-day international writers’ workshop, running from May 29 to June 3, will offer intensive sessions on poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, travel writing, nature writing and translation.

The public festival programme on June 4 and 5 will feature literary discussions, readings and cultural activities.

The festival will also host the HLF-WWK International Book Awards 2027, recognising outstanding contributions to poetry, fiction and nonfiction, alongside the second edition of its Poetry Film Festival, which will bring literature and cinema together.

This edition will be dedicated to celebrated Nepali poet Lekhnath Paudyal, honoured with the title ‘Kavi Shiromani’ (Crest Jewel of Poets).

The organisers also plan to introduce his works to international readers through translations into various languages.

The festival, themed ‘Nature Writing, Travel Writing and the Spirit: Writing the Earth, Mapping the Soul’, aims to position Kathmandu as a hub for literary tourism, creative learning and cross-cultural dialogue, said the organisers.

The 2026 edition brought together more than 75 writers and cultural practitioners from different countries, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Tracy K. Smith and Paul Muldoon. RSS