GenevAfrica 2023, curated by novelist and poet Max Lobe, runs in Geneva, Switzerland from May 10 – 22, 2023.
GenevAfrica is a project aimed at creating literary bridges between French-speaking authors and continental African authors. The first edition, a partnership between the Swiss Embassy in Kinshasa and the French Institute, was hosted in February 2020 in Kinshasa, DR Congo. The public reading at the Fête du Livre de Kinshasa (Kinshasa Book Festival) featured Lolvé Tillmanns (Switzerland), Miss Bangala (DRC), Anne-Sophie Subilia (Switzerland), and Richard Ali A Mutu (DRC). A corresponding event to be hosted in Geneva in October was cancelled because of the worldwide pandemic at the time. The correspondence between the writers can be found on Amazon by clicking here.
The 2023 edition is curated by Swiss-Cameroonian novelist, short story writer, and poet Max Lobe. Some of his titles written primarily in French are 39 Rue de Berne (2013), La Trinité Bantue (2014), Confidences (2016), Loin De Douala (2018), and La Promesse de sa Phall’Excellence (2021). You can find English translations of his work one of the most recent being A Long Way From Douala.
For the 12 days, Geneva residents can expect readings of correspondence between writers, panels, a slam performance, an art exhibition, and a concert. The featured artists are Djamile Mama Gao, Jérôme Tossavi, Marion Emonot, Timba Bema, Fabian Menor, Lolvé Tillmanns, Anne-Sophie Subilia, Kacimi, Johann Vacher, and DJ Esengo.
For more information on the happenings in Geneva, please click here.
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