Muslim Literary Festival

The Muslim Literary Festival will hold its third annual event on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Centennial College Event Centre in Scarborough, Toronto. Operating from 10 am to 5 pm, this festival is Canada's only literary event dedicated to connecting upcoming Muslim writing talent, who are often underrepresented, with Canadian editors, publishers, and literary agents.

The festival's 2026 theme, "Humans at Heart: Stories that Beat as One," emphasizes shared humanity and the power of personal experiences to create universal stories. The program includes a keynote address titled "Navigating Creative Practices Through Grief" by Zeina Sleiman, a discussion on "Writing and Publishing with a Political Identity" featuring Alaa Al-Barkawi, and workshops such as "Developing Your Craft and Pathway in Poetry" with Furqan Mohamed and "Branding Marketing and Promotion in Publishing" with Sarah Mughal Rana.

A key component of the festival is the opportunity for attendees to participate in industry one-on-ones with literary agents and acquiring editors from major publishing houses like HarperCollins Canada, Penguin Random House Canada, and Simon & Schuster Canada. Since its launch in 2024, the festival has supported participants in publishing books, magazine features, and literary anthologies, fostering emerging Muslim voices in Canadian publishing.