This article explores the upcoming Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival (DUILF) 2026, returning for its third edition from 18–21 February 2026 at Dibrugarh University, as a meeting point for global and regional literary voices such as Ann Morgan, Kyung-sook Shin, Abdourahman Waberi, Mai Khaled, and Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, whose work spans personal storytelling, postcolonial experience, and indigenous histories.
Across continents and cultures, a single idea animates some of the most compelling recent literature: the effort to understand human lives through stories that bridge personal memory and larger histories. From a British author’s attempt to read the world through books from every nation and a South Korean novelist’s tender excavation of family bonds, to an African writer’s layered portrayals of mobility and identity — these narratives confront loss, belonging, reinvention and the social textures that shape our lives.
For many writers invited to the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival, which returns for its third edition from 18 to 21 February 2026 at Dibrugarh University these themes are lived worlds in which characters struggle, reflect and evolve. British author Ann Morgan inspired global readers with The World Between Two Covers, a project born from reading books from every country to expand how we think about culture, translation and empathy. South Korean novelist Kyung-sook Shin explores the emotional depths of family relationships and the silent struggles of everyday life — most notably in her international bestseller Please Look After Mom, a story about regret, and mothers’ unseen sacrifices. Djiboutian writer Abdourahman Waberi brings the perspectives of the African diaspora and post-colonial experience into global conversations through novels that traverse borders and languages.
Egyptian novelist Mai Khaled, a writer, translator and journalist based in Cairo, is the author of four novels that explore questions of language, identity and cultural experience through modern narrative forms, including The Magic of Turquoise, which has been translated into English and other languages, showcasing her engagement with contemporary Arab life and translation as a creative crossing of worlds. Acclaimed Indian author Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, a Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer from Arunachal Pradesh, has built a distinguished body of work in Assamese — spanning novels, short stories and folktales — that foregrounds indigenous voices, tribal histories and the lived realities of Northeast Indian communities, bringing regional narratives into wider Indian literary conversation
“DUILF was envisioned as a space where global literary voices meet the unique cultural imagination of Northeast India. The 2026 edition deepens this dialogue by bringing Middle Eastern and North African narratives into conversation with young audiences, students and readers. Our aim is to nurture empathy, curiosity and community through literature, highlighting the region as a significant cultural destination.”Rahul Jain, Curator and Chief Coordinator, DUILF
These voices converge at DUILF 2026, Organised by the university in association with the Foundation for Culture, Arts and Literature (FOCAL), the four-day festival will bring together over 150 writers, poets, performers, and cultural practitioners from 25 countries. This year’s edition places a specific spotlight on literature from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), positioning these narratives alongside voices from South Asia and beyond, while continuing to foreground the oral traditions and cultural heritage of Northeast India as a living literary practice
Across its programme, author conversations and readings will sit alongside panel discussions that move between poetry, fiction, international affairs, cinema, and sport, reflecting how storytelling operates across forms and disciplines. Workshops and community-led cultural experiences further anchor the festival in its regional context, reinforcing its growing role in India’s cultural tourism landscape. With an expected footfall of 10,000 to 12,000 attendees, the festival continues to draw students, young readers, and literary audiences into sustained dialogue with global and regional voices
With its focus on international literature, youth engagement, and regional identity, the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival emerges as one of India’s most thoughtfully curated literary gatherings. Further details on the festival schedule, speakers, and entry passes will be available on the official DUILF website.
Follow the festival here.
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