KATHMANDU, May 16: Kathmandu is set to emerge as a meeting ground for some of the world’s most distinguished writers, poets, scholars, practitioners, and storytellers as the Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers Workshop (HLF-WWK) 2026 brings an extraordinary international literary gathering to Nepal.
From May 29 to June 5, Kathmandu will host the Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers Workshop (HLF-WWK) 2026. Dedicated to Guru Prasad Mainali, one of Nepal’s greatest short-story writers, this year’s festival is themed “Ecstasy, Healing, and Creative Writing in the New World Order.”
In recent years, Nepal has gradually sought to expand its cultural presence on the global stage. The upcoming edition of HLF-WWK appears poised to reinforce that trajectory, positioning Kathmandu not only as a destination for travelers but increasingly as a center for international literary discourse.
More than 75 writers and artists from Nepal, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, France, Denmark, and the Philippines are expected to participate in the week-long event. The gathering will combine workshops, masterclasses, poetry readings, public discussions, performances, film screenings, and cross-cultural exchanges.
At the heart of the festival is an intensive writers’ workshop running from May 29 to June 3. Designed to foster mentorship and creative collaboration, the workshop offers participants the opportunity to engage closely with internationally acclaimed literary figures, making the festival distinct from many others in the region.
The public segment of the festival, taking place on June 4 and 5, will open literary conversations to a broader audience through panel discussions, readings, book launches, and interactive sessions aimed at making literature more accessible and socially engaging.
Kathmandu-Kalinga Literary Festival kicks off
“HLF is not just about books and writers—it is about conversations, connections, and the exchange of ideas across borders,” said festival director Shreejana Bhandari, owner of the renowned Kathmandu-based White Lotus Book Shop.
One of the festival’s most anticipated highlights is the launch of Nepal’s first-ever Poetry Film Festival, an innovative initiative that fuses literature with visual storytelling. The segment reflects a growing global interest in interdisciplinary art, where poetry moves beyond the printed page into visual spaces, gaining new dimensions and reaching wider audiences.
Beyond the in-house sessions at The Malla Hotel, organizers are planning selected workshops and events at historically and spiritually significant locations across the Kathmandu Valley, allowing international visitors to experience Nepal firsthand.
“Workshops will take place within ancient temples and monasteries, offering participants the unique opportunity to learn alongside Himalayan shamans in traditional settings,” festival director Yuyutsu RD Sharma added.
The festival’s faculty lineup is especially notable.
Among the major attractions is Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States, and Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University. Smith will lead a masterclass titled “Poetry and Consciousness,” guiding participants through poetry as both artistic craft and contemplative practice.
Another major presence will be Paul Muldoon, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish poet and professor at Princeton University, whose masterclass “Sudden Zen” is expected to attract poets and literary scholars alike.
The festival will also feature acclaimed novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz, poet Tina Chang, The Irish Times literary editor Martin Doyle, mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik, American poet Brian Turner, and award-winning poet and translator Tony Barnstone.
Other celebrated international writers include Peter Salisbury, Ravi Shankar, Anne Casey, Kathleen Willard, Edith Hakimian, Krestina Prater, Lara Gularte, Manjula Narayan, Mike Jurkovic, Shilpa Dixit Thapaliyal, Penny Kline, Inderjeet Mani, Mary Newell, Rajni Shankar Brown, Felice Willat, Connie Fisher, Carola Mair, Kavita Jindal, Runa Bandyopadhyay, Jami Proctor Xu, Daniela Chacon Ramdass, Sanjula Sharma, Laksmisree Banerjee, Swaati Chadra Shivki, Elaine Joy Degala, and Ketan Jain.
Legendary Nepali poet Shailendra Sakar, along with Hari Adhikary, Narayan Dhakal, Usha Sherchan, Dwarika Shrestha, and scores of other established and emerging Nepali writers, are also expected to participate.
The festival is led by Yuyutsu RD Sharma, the internationally renowned Himalayan poet whose work has helped bridge Himalayan literature with global audiences. Through his vision, dedication, and sustained effort, the festival has taken shape.
HLF-WWK 2026 has received support from an impressive network of international cultural and literary institutions, including New York Writers Workshop, Asian American Writers' Workshop, Australia Asia Pacific Writers and Translators, the Austrian Embassy, the Polish Institute New Delhi, the Portuguese Embassy, Camões – Portuguese Cultural Centre New Delhi, Instituto Cervantes New Delhi, and the Embassy of Ukraine.
As Kathmandu prepares to host this convergence of literary and cultural voices, the upcoming festival promises not merely a celebration of books, stories, and poetry, but also a broader exploration of creativity, healing, and human connection in an increasingly fragmented world.
Registration is open to participants from both international and SAARC regions. Full program details and faculty profiles are available on the official HLF-WWK website.
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