Internationally acclaimed novelist and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement in Literature Award at the Sharjah Festival of African Literature (SFAL 26), a celebration of African storytelling recently held in the United Arab Emirates.
Dangarembga who has authored of three novels, Nervous Conditions, which was the winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; This Mournable Body, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and The Book of Not, received the honour in recognition of her literary and intellectual journey and her significant contribution to African and world literature.
"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," shared Dangarembga in an interview with Daily Times Online TV.
Tsitsi Dangarembga
Hosted in Sharjah University City, the five-day Sharjah Festival of African Literature explores the present and future of African literature and highlights the cross cultural connections between the two regions. The program brings together 20 African writers and 9 Emirati authors in panel discussions, poetry readings, children’s workshops, booksignings, and musical performances.
This year’s festival was themed “The African Way” and has a focus on the literary culture in Ethiopia, South Africa, and Zanzibar.