Kampala Writes Literature Festival
Goretti Kyomuhendo, the Kampala Writes Literature Festival curator remarked that Kampala is ripe for a sustained, impactful, and dedicated literature festival and we believe KLA Writes Lifest ticked the boxes. We kicked off our 3-day inaugural literature festival with an opening ceremony which was graced by guests like renowned academics who have shaped the literary…
Kampala Writes Litfest Programme
We are thrilled to unveil the program for the Kampala Writes Litfest 2024, taking place on December 7th and 8th! Over two days, the festival will feature captivating panel discussions, engaging workshops, and an array of entertainment celebrating Uganda’s rich literary and creative heritage. Curator Goretti Kyomuhendo describes the festival as “a platform for writers and book professionals to…
Kampala Writes Litfest 2024
Goethe Zentrum Kampala/Ugandan German Cultural Society (GZK/UGCS) is thrilled to announce the inaugural Kampala Writes Litfest, set to take place on the 7th and 8th of December 2024 at the Onomo Hotel in Kampala. This literary festival, the first of its kind in the city, has evolved from GZK’s longstanding tradition of hosting the annual…
Surviving Mental Illness and Finding Me
On October 31, GZK/UGCS hosted an interesting literature event. The author Brain Azemchap was joining us with a reading from his book Surviving Mental Illness and Finding me. The evening was moderated by Andrea Cassatella, who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Makerere Institute of Social Research, Makerere University Brain Azemchap is a Cameroonian…
Facing Mountains
Author Jacqueline Asiimwe (left) and moderator Goretti Kyomuhendo (right) It was an honor to host Jacqueline Asiimwe, a remarkable human rights attorney and adventure enthusiast, at our premises for a discussion on her new memoir, Facing Mountains. The conversation was moderated by celebrated Ugandan author Goretti Kyomuhendo, who led an engaging discussion that helped the…
Open Call: Literature Festival Curator
The Goethe Zentrum Kampala / Uganda Cultural Society is looking for a curator for its inaugural literature festival. The festival will have a prelude in December 2024 and have its full premier in 2025. The festival aims to support the growth of the sector through skill development, encouraging critical dialogue on literature and foster networking…
Where Rivers Go To Die
`Aya walked up a stone path under the sculpture of dead trees, and for a moment she wondered what it had felt like to sit under a real tree. Ancient poets described the music leaves made as a breeze rustled them and the song of birds perched on the branches and that it was considered…
African Writers Trust Informative Seminar Series: 3rd Edition
Written by African Writers Trust/ Photo courtesy: African Writers Trust African Writers Trust organised a residential, Informative Writers Seminar on the theme: ‘Self-Publishing in Africa: What you need to Know.’ The event took place at Hotsprings Villas Hotel, in Kampala, Uganda, from 14th to 16th June, 2024. The Seminar was attended by nationals from five African countries:…
Echoes of the Past: Historical Sites and Buildings in Mbarara City
Written by CCFU Team Historical buildings are powerful symbols of our past. They capture moments in time, providing identity to cities, towns, and districts while reflecting architectural styles, cultural influences, and societal values of their eras. These structures also play crucial roles in national tourism, community regeneration, and education. In Uganda, the disappearance of historical…
Call For Applications: AWT Informative Seminar, 3rd Edition
We are excited to partner with The African Writers Trust to bring to life the third edition of the African Writers Trust Informative Seminar. Join us to explore “Self Publishing: What You Need to Know.” Below are the necessary details: Seminar Description African Writers Trust will hold the 3rd Edition of its popular Informative Seminar series…
Kasala: The Poetry of Placement
Written by Loic Ekinga & Elijah Bwojji Seven poets gathered to explore the Kasala poetic form in a three-week workshop with the Goethe Zentrum Kampala/Ugandan German Cultural Society. The workshop aimed to explore a traditional genre of oral praise poetry originating from the Congo region. The Kasala as it is known in the Luba tribe…
It Must Be Nice: A Valentine’s Week Spectacle at Mitchz Manifest V
Mitchz Manifest V, fondly dubbed “It Must Be Nice,” illuminated the night sky during the Valentine’s Week on February 16th, 2024. Held for the first time on the enchanting rooftop of Goethe Zentrum Kampala, this edition of the acclaimed series drew 123 attendees eager to bask in the magic of artistic expression. Against the backdrop…
Ugandan Literature at our Christmas Book Fair
Our Christmas Book Fair is now in its third season with this years theme: Ugandan writing across genres. On Saturday 2nd December 2023 at 32 Degrees East, Kansanga, an independent non-profit organisation, focused on the creation and exploration of contemporary art in Uganda, we celebrated all kinds of Ugandan Literature There were a variety of…
Ekyoto Night with Tontoma Poetry Jazz Session
In cooperation with Tontoma Poetry Jazz Session we hosted a cozy evening of poetry and music in our GZK basement. ‘Ekyoto’ is a Luganda word meaning fire place where food is cooked. In Buganda culture Ekyoto is where adults passed wisdom and knowledge to the young to empower them for the challenging world that lay…
Launch of Whispers from Vera at the 6th Mashariki Literary and Cultural Studies Conference
The Launch of Goretti Kyomuhendo’s Whispers from Vera happened during the 6th Mashariki Literary and Cultural Studies Conference. It was held at the zenith of the Conference, shortly before the official closure of the event. It was held in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium at Makerere University. The event celebrated Goretti Kyomuhendo’s novel…
Whispers from Vera @20: A Celebration
Whispers from Vera, by Goretti Kyomuhendo, was first published in Uganda in 2002 by Monitor Publications Ltd to great acclaim. This activity was to mark the novel’s 20 – year publication anniversary, with the relaunch of a reworked edition, published by the African Writers Trust Ltd in August 2023. The event was a great success…
Christmas Book Fair
Our year ended with our yearly Christmas Book Fair. The first edition of this event happened in 2021. It shall bring together publishers, literature associations/ communities, individuals and all who are interested in the art of reading. Further, we want the book fair to be a platform for our close partners to connect, showcase their…
Mitchz Manifest
On 10th of August Isabirye Mitch and other artists performed a silent poetry show at our basement. By performing poetry with and without acoustic music the audience could really enjoy various kinds of poetry. Each with their individual touch given by the performers. With the earphones given out each person in the audience could really…
Amani Festival
GZK GOES UPCOUNTRY! The cultural team has been travelling to Arua to join the Amani Festival 2022. This festival went for three days from 18th to 20th August including many activities with many different partners. There were dance, singing performances, fashion shows, workshops and a lot more. GZK’s supported Amani Festival with a poetry slam…