The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers Workshop 2026 Invites Writers, Poets, and Scholars from Around the World
Kathmandu Tribune | Published March 2026
For eight days this coming summer, Kathmandu will become a gathering point for some of the world’s most celebrated literary voices. The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers Workshop (HLF–WWK), running from May 29 to June 5, 2026, is inviting poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, translators, scholars, and students of literature to participate in what promises to be one of South Asia’s most ambitious international literary events.
The theme this year — Ecstasy, Healing, and Creative Writing in the New World Order — sets an ambitious and timely agenda. The program examines the relationship between creative writing, contemplative traditions, and cross-cultural literary practice at a moment of rapid global change, drawing on the philosophical and spiritual heritage of the Himalayan region as both backdrop and interlocutor.
A Faculty of International Distinction
The 2026 program brings together a remarkable lineup of visiting writers and scholars. Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet and 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate, joins Paul Muldoon, himself a Pulitzer laureate and former Oxford Professor of Poetry. Brooklyn Poet Laureate Tina Chang, Iraq War memoirist and poet Brian Turner, poet-translator Tony Barnstone, and Martin Doyle, Books Editor of The Irish Times, round out a faculty that spans continents and literary traditions. Himalayan poet Yuyutsu Sharma, a Rockefeller Fellow, anchors the program in its home landscape.
Publishing organizations including Nirala Publications, Drunken Boat, the New York Writers Workshop, and Pratik: A Magazine of Contemporary Writing will contribute to discussions on editing, publishing, and global literary collaboration.
Beyond the Conference Room
What distinguishes HLF–WWK from a conventional literary conference is its insistence on placing writers inside living cultural traditions. Workshops and discussions will be held not only in conference venues but in historic temples, Buddhist monasteries, and Himalayan shaman villages. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with storytelling and contemplative practices within the communities that sustain them — a rare experience for writers accustomed to the seminar table.
The program includes eight intensive creative writing workshops, craft and scholarly panels on translation, voice, imagery, and literary form, faculty and participant readings, and dedicated time for independent writing and reflection. The festival culminates in the Himalayan Literature Festival (June 3–5), featuring readings and conversations with the full faculty and guest speakers.
Who Can Apply
There are no formal eligibility restrictions. The program welcomes writers, translators, scholars, graduate students, and creative practitioners from around the world.
Registration fees for international participants are USD 2,895 (regular rate), with an early bird rate of USD 2,495 available until September 30, 2025. A festival-only option covering June 3–5 is available at USD 995. SAARC-region participants may register for the full package at ₹85,000 / NPR 150,000, or festival-only at ₹39,000 / NPR 60,000.
The full program fee covers registration, accommodation at The Malla Hotel in Kathmandu, breakfast, hospitality, local transportation, airport pickup, and transfers to all program venues and cultural sites.
A 20% discount is available for Nirala authors, Pratik contributors, members of the New York Writers Workshop and APWT, HLF 2024 alumni, and verified university students and faculty.
Deadline and Registration
The registration deadline is March 31, 2026 (11:59 PM EST). Further information and registration are available at the festival website: hlf.whitelotusbookshop.com
For enquiries, contact Shreejana Bhandari, Director, at hlfwwk2026@gmail.com or +977-9813798573.
The Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers Workshop is hosted by White Lotus Book Shop, Hanumanthan, Kupondole, Kathmandu, Nepal.
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