Sarawak Literature Festival 2026 elevates local works, supports the aspiration of Miri towards a UNESCO literary city

MIRI, 18 September: Sarawak Literature Festival (SLF) 2026 will be held for five days from 23 to 27 September in Miri, bringing together writers, publishers, cultural activists and the community in an effort to raise literature and local heritage.

The inaugural festival hosted by the Sarawak State Library is also a platform to strengthen Miri's aspirations towards joining UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in literature.

According to a statement from the Sarawak State Library Miri, Miri Closed Stadium is the main venue of the festival, while some selected programs are also taking place at the Sarawak State Library, Miri and Miri Handicraft Centre.

"SLF 2026 combines three main fillings namely Book Fair Festival, Book Authors Festival and Sarawakiana Festival which gives visitors the opportunity to interact with authors, explore local works and get acquainted with Sarawak's cultural heritage", the statement said today.

The inauguration ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 24 at 2pm at the Miri Closed Stadium and will be completed by Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinji Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Among the highlights of the event was the presentation of the Sarawak Premier Library Award to recognize excellence in public and village libraries.

The festival also features sessions with authors, book talks, literature forums, creative writing workshops, storytelling activities, youth programs and community literacy.

The Sarawakiana program, cultural performances, traditional craft workshops, music and poetry performances as well as cosplay competitions also complete the festival.

The organisers targeted an attendance of between 20,000 and 50,000 visitors over the five days of the festival, thus opening up opportunities for local entrepreneurs through food bazaars, handicrafts and book sales.

The SLF promotion is also aimed at becoming an annual literature festival that grows across Sarawak, with Sibu proposed as a venue for the promotion in 2027, followed by Kuching in 2028.

The public, especially the residents of Miri and surrounding areas are welcome to join the festival to explore local works, meet authors and learn about Sarawak's cultural heritage. - TVS