Africa Caribbean
Literary Exchange
The Jamaica Book Festival (JBF), in partnership with the P.J. Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy, is proud to present the Africa Caribbean Literary Exchange—an ambitious cultural and intellectual initiative that brings together leading African and Caribbean writers, publishers, scholars, and literacy advocates in Kingston, Jamaica.
This exchange is designed to strengthen cultural diplomacy, deepen historical connections, and foster future-focused collaboration through literature. Delegates will engage in panel discussions, workshops, school visits, cultural experiences, and professional networking aimed at building long-term partnerships across the Atlantic.
Africa–Caribbean Literary Exchange
Speakers
Tap a speaker to read more.
Event Schedule
9:00 – 11:00 AM
Books for Breakfast
A specially curated audiobook lounge experience with guided listening selections in a relaxed courtyard setting Limited capacity
Registration Required10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
The Imagination Room
A joyful, family-focused reading space with read-alouds, interactive literary play, and hands-on discovery that brings books to life Limited capacity
Registration Required9:00 – 9:40 AM
Arrival & General Registration Opens
9:45 – 9:55 AM
Audience Seating
10:00 – 10:15 AM
Official Welcome & Opening Remarks
10:15 – 10:30 AM
Opening Poetry
10:30 – 11:15 AM
Session 1: Pathways to Publishing
Craft + industry insights on shaping stories for children and YA—plus practical guidance for writers, educators, illustrators, and emerging storytellers
11:20 AM – 12:20 PM
Session 2: Building Black Arts Ecosystems
A conversation on the infrastructure behind lasting cultural power—institutions, fair pay, archives, ownership, mentorship, and spaces that sustain creators
12:20 – 1:00 PM
Session 3: Special Fireside Chat
Join the JBF team for a chat with Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of Here Comes the Sun and Patsy, where she shares exclusive updates on what’s next and her plans to support the writing journey of emerging authors
1:00 – 1:10 PM
Book Chat: Cultural Economy & Television
1:10 – 2:00 PM
Lunch + Book Signing + Exhibits
2:05 – 2:35 PM
Session 4: Books & Bredren
A conversation on rebuilding a stronger culture of reading among men and boys—across books, literacy initiatives, and modern storytelling formats
2:40 – 3:00 PM
Session 5: Found in Translation
A TED-style spotlight on translation as cultural memory, language as power, and how diaspora stories travel across borders
3:05 – 3:40 PM
Session 6: Book Chat with Troy Onyango
A thoughtful conversation on craft, character, and emotional truth—tracing links between African and Caribbean storytelling traditions
3:45 – 4:15 PM
Closing Conversation with Namina Forna
New York Times bestselling author Namina Forna reflects on The Gilded Ones and why its themes still hit hard—power, identity, and sisterhood
Our Partners
Our Sponsors
Why an Africa–Caribbean Literary Exchange?
Literature has always been a bridge between Africa and the Caribbean, carrying memory , resistance, imagination, and identity across generations. Yet sustained, structured collaboration between our contemporary literary ecosystems remains limited.
Across Africa, a publishing renaissance is underway, driven by innovative publishers, book festivals, digital platforms, and a new generation of globally recognised writers—despite ongoing challenges of distribution and visibility. Caribbean literary communities face similar constraints, while also navigating limited access to global markets and networks. Digital technology is beginning to remove these barriers, creating new possibilities for exchange, co-publishing, and shared audiences.
UNESCO’s Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity report affirms that cross-continental cultural exchange strengthens creative industries and contributes to economic and social development. However, few platforms exist that intentionally connect Africa and the Caribbean—regions bound by shared histories of displacement, resilience, and cultural creativity.
The Jamaica Book Festival seeks to fill this gap by creating a dedicated, sustainable platform for Africa Caribbean literary collaboration.
Our Objectives
The Africa–Caribbean Literary Exchange aims to:
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Use literature as a tool for dialogue, mutual understanding, and long-term Africa–Caribbean engagement.
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Present leading authors, scholars, and cultural practitioners to Caribbean audiences, and vice versa.
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Highlight successful models of partnerships and innovation that offer learning and collaboration opportunities.
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Create pathways for co-publishing, translation rights, joint programming, and future festival exchanges.
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Inspire , empower and enagage youth through school visits, readings and workshops that provide meaningful opportunities to directly engage with authors, creatives and thought leaders from the Caribbean and Africa