Pascal Ashuza launches Kinshasa Book Festival

Pascal Ashuza, founder of the Kinshasa Book Festival, described the event as an initiative to "gather, reflect, and connect" the book industry's stakeholders, including readers, authors, publishers, booksellers, and distributors. The festival aimed to address challenges specific to the African book industry, such as the complexity of publishing and the fragility of local distribution networks.

Festival's origins and inspirations

The festival, which took place on October 31 and November 1, 2026, at the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was inspired by events like the African Book Fair in Paris, where one of Ashuza's magazines was exhibited. Despite limited funding or formal partners, the event was supported by individuals such as Celena Ngoy of the Art Majeur organization and others who preferred to remain unnamed.

Challenges and adaptations

One of the main challenges was securing a venue that met the event's requirements, which led to adjustments in the schedule and ultimately the selection of the National Museum. Ashuza emphasized the logistical difficulties in shipping books between African countries, including customs barriers, high logistical costs, and the absence of intercontinental connection networks.

Festival's theme and solutions

The festival's theme, "Exposing the book, celebrating its actors," centered on the concept of "Literature and Orality," with a focus on the theme of book circulation. To circumvent the issues of book distribution, the magazine adopted a decentralized on-demand printing model in the destination country, reducing reliance on centralized supply chains.

Future plans and impact

Ashuza emphasized that the Kinshasa festival is not an isolated event but the beginning of a transcontinental dynamic. Follow-up conferences are planned in Europe, including Brussels and Paris, to continue the mission of promoting African literature and presenting the work done in Kinshasa to diaspora and European actors. The goal for the first edition was to provide a space for dialogue between local and regional professionals and to create a network for sustainable solutions in book circulation.

Looking ahead

Looking to the future, Ashuza envisions the festival becoming an annual professional and literary event in Kinshasa, with potential editions in several cities in the DRC and possibly across Africa. A summary of the discussions will be shared in a memorandum through the festival's newsletter with participants and decision-making institutions.