Last Updated on May 25, 2026
Summary✨
- Ncell Foundation hosts the Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 in Kathmandu from May 29 to June 5, focusing on healing and cultural dialogue.
- The festival includes masterclasses, workshops, and sessions with global literary figures like Pulitzer Prize winners and bestselling authors.
- Ncell promotes Nepal’s literary heritage and supports cross-cultural exchange through this initiative.
- Participants can engage in various activities, including film screenings and visits to cultural sites, enhancing their understanding of Nepal’s heritage.
- The event strengthens Kathmandu’s reputation as a key global literary destination, bringing together diverse artistic voices.
Ncell Foundation has collaborated for the Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop (HLF-WWK) 2026. It’s the second edition of South Asia’s leading international literary gathering, which brings poets, novelists, memoirists, translators, filmmakers, scholars, etc. from across the world.
This time, the event expands to 8 days, dedicated to Guru Prasad Mainali in honor of his lasting contribution to the Nepali literary landscape.
Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026
The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 runs between 29 May and 5 June in Kathmandu, centering around the themes of healing, consciousness, creativity, memory, and cultural dialogue in a rapidly changing world.
The program features Masterclasses, workshops, keynote addresses, poetry readings, literary conversations, film screenings, cultural excursions, and interdisciplinary discussions exploring the transformative power of literature and the arts.
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Who will feature at the Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026
The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 will have participants like Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Tracy K. Smith and Paul Muldoon, bestselling novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz, poet and translator Tony Barnstone, world-renowned Himalayan poet Yuyutsu Sharma, Irish Times literary editor Martin Doyle, first Brooklyn Poet Laureate Tina Chang, and many distinguished literary voices from Nepal, India, Ireland, Austria, Poland, the United States, and more.
“Literature is not a luxury. It is the oldest form of healing we have. The festival is a celebration of the great glory of the Himalayan nation, Nepal, its rich cultural heritage, and vibrant life. The festival celebrates Nepal and brings its great glory to the forefront of the world,” said Yuyutsu Sharma, organiser of HLF-WWK 2026, addressing a press conference on Sunday.
The festival opens with an inauguration ceremony celebrating the meeting of Himalayan and global literary traditions. There will be sessions around poetry, memoir, magical realism, AI and creative writing, women’s literature, indigenous storytelling, trauma and healing, meditation and creativity, translation, performance, and the future of literature in the digital age.
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Ncell helps preserve and promote Nepal’s literary heritage
Through this collaboration, Ncell Foundation is contributing to preserving and promoting Nepal’s rich literary and cultural heritage while also creating a space for dialogue, creativity, and global cultural exchange.
“At Ncell Foundation, we believe literature and storytelling play an important role in preserving cultural heritage, inspiring creativity, and fostering meaningful dialogue. Through our collaboration with the Himalayan Literature Festival, we are proud to support a platform that celebrates Nepal’s rich literary culture while connecting local and global creative voices,” said Bishakha Lakshmi Khadka, Head of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Sustainability (Director) at Ncell.
The festival includes emerging voices through youth poetry platforms, mentorship programmes, workshops, and international collaborations. Nepali poets and writers, ranging from Sailendra Sakar, Narayan Dhakal, Hari Adhikari, Usha Sherchan, and Laxmi Mali, among others, writing in both Nepali and English, will feature alongside global literary guests.
The festival also includes screenings of Irish, Austrian, Polish, Portuguese, and poetry films. Similarly, there are visits to cultural and heritage sites such as Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Budhanilkantha, and Nagarkot. These activities offer participants a meaningful engagement with Nepal’s cultural, artistic, and spiritual heritage.
Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 to promote cross-cultural engagement
The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 has been held as “a platform for dialogue, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding,” Ncell says.
“The festival continues to strengthen Kathmandu’s position as an important global literary destination and a meeting ground for diverse artistic voices,” the telco adds.
During the press meet, two trailers of poetry films— Clouded Reveries, which chronicles the life of Irish poet and thinker Doireann Ní Ghríofa, and Wide Awake, a film about Austrian poet Bodo Hell directed by Carola Mair—were screened. Similarly, Stephen Bookas’s film on Yuyutsu Sharma’s poem based on the earthquake in Nepal in 2015, entitled ‘I see my world shaking,’ was also screened.
FAQs on Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026
The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop 2026 is an international literary gathering featuring poets, novelists, translators, filmmakers, scholars, and creative voices from Nepal and around the world.
The festival will run from May 29 to June 5, 2026.
The 2026 edition is dedicated to the renowned Nepali literary figure Guru Prasad Mainali for his contribution to Nepali literature.
Notable participants include Tracy K. Smith, Paul Muldoon, Jean Hanff Korelitz, Tony Barnstone, Yuyutsu Sharma, Martin Doyle, and Tina Chang.
