Himalayan Literature Festival 2026 to bring global literary voices to Kathmandu – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, MAY 27

The second edition of the Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers’ Workshop (HLF-WWK) is set to be held in Kathmandu from May 29 to June 5 in collaboration with the Ncell Foundation.

Organisers said the eight-day international literary gathering will bring together renowned poets, novelists, translators, filmmakers, scholars and emerging writers from Nepal and abroad.

Dedicated to noted Nepali litterateur Guru Prasad Mainali, the festival will centre on themes including healing, creativity, cultural dialogue, memory and consciousness.

The programme will feature workshops, masterclasses, keynote sessions, poetry readings, literary discussions, film screenings and cultural tours.

International participants include Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Tracy K. Smith and Paul Muldoon, novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz, poet and translator Tony Barnstone, and Himalayan poet Yuyutsu Sharma, among others.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, organiser Yuyutsu Sharma said literature remained “the oldest form of healing” and described the festival as a celebration of Nepal’s cultural and literary heritage.

Ncell Foundation said the collaboration aims to help preserve and promote Nepal’s literary culture while creating a platform for dialogue and global cultural exchange.

The festival will also feature discussions on artificial intelligence and creative writing, women’s literature, indigenous storytelling, trauma and healing, translation and the future of literature in the digital age.

Nepali writers including Narayan Dhakal, Usha Sherchan and Hari Adhikari are also scheduled to participate.

Organisers said the event would include screenings of international poetry films and visits to cultural heritage sites including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and Boudhanath.