Tsitsi Dangarembga received the Sharjah Lifetime Achievement in Literature Award 2026 in Sharjah, UAE, on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The Sharjah Festival of African Literature was hosted in the Emirates for the second time by the Sharjah Book Authority in partnership with the Book Buzz Foundation from January 14 – 18. It was the second year the literary shindig had been hosted, representing the Emirate’s deepening engagement with African writers and publishers. There was a distinguished roster of writers, poets, filmmakers, publishers, and activists from across Africa in conversation with local writers.
During the opening ceremony, Zimbabwean novelist and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was honored with the festival’s Sharjah Lifetime Achievement in Literature Award, in recognition of her literary and intellectual journey and her significant contribution to African and world literature. Dangarembga is the author of the Tambudzai novel trilogy: Nervous Conditions (1988), winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; The Book of Not (2006); and This Mournable Body (2018), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Other accolades include the Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels (Peace Prize of the German Book Trade) and the PEN Pinter Prize, both awarded in 2021.
Upon receiving the award, Dangarembga remarked, “This award is not just a personal recognition. It affirms that African stories matter and that our narratives are being recognised beyond our borders. Festivals like this are crucial for preserving culture and ensuring African voices continue to be heard globally.”
Later, speaking on a panel, she added, “I think this bridge, this festival, is absolutely important because in order to bring about change so the world can travel in a better direction, we need to communicate and find commonalities.”
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