Overview:
The 31th version of Livres en folie gathered hundreds of holiday makers in Pétion-Ville on June 19, round greater than 1,100 works, 94 of which had been signed by new authors. Regardless of the insecurity, the occasion paid tribute to Frankétienne and Christophe Philippe Charles, thus affirming the power of literature as an area for unity, resistance, and inspiration.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — A gentle stream of readers gathered in Pétion-Ville on June 19 for the thirty first version of Livres en Folie, Haiti’s largest annual e book truthful — an occasion that this yr took on deeper which means because it paid tribute to literary large Frankétienne, who handed away in February. The homage, mixed with the enduring presence of the truthful amid nationwide turmoil, reworked the gathering into a robust act of cultural remembrance and resistance.
Held on the Collège des Frères de l’Instruction Chrétienne, the 2025 version of Livres en Folie introduced collectively seasoned authors, first-time writers, authorities officers, and curious readers — all desperate to reconnect with books in a time when cultural life has been pressured into the shadows.
The occasion featured 1,187 titles, together with works by 94 first-time authors — a powerful feat at a time when publishing in Haiti stays a wrestle amid political instability and financial uncertainty. From novels, poetry, and essays to youngsters’s comics and tutorial works, the stands had been stuffed with decisions. The truthful was organized by Le Nouvelliste, Haiti’s oldest day by day newspaper, and long-time occasion accomplice Unibank.
The literary truthful drew a various crowd: younger folks, elders, college students, and kids with their dad and mom. They gathered not simply to purchase books however to satisfy the authors behind the pages that formed their imaginations and nationwide consciousness.
The tribute to Frankétienne — born Jean-Pierre Basilic Dantor Franck Étienne d’Argent — anchored the truthful’s emotional core. A poet, painter, playwright, musician, and the founding father of the Spiralist motion, he revealed greater than 40 works, together with Dézafi, the primary novel written in Haitian Creole. His towering legacy was felt in each nook of the occasion, a reminder of how deeply literature shapes Haitian identification.
A second tribute was paid to Christophe Philippe-Charles, who was honored this yr with a tribute celebrating his lifelong contribution to Haitian letters. Charles has revealed greater than 150 works throughout genres.
“My biggest salute goes to the youth I see right here at the moment, engaged with studying. It’s by way of literature that they’ll have the ability to make sensible decisions for his or her future.”
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
“Livre en Folie appears like house to me,” stated Philippe-Charles, a prolific creator who has participated in each version of the truthful since its inception.
“Yearly, I reconnect with readers, fellow writers, and above all, the hope that literature can nonetheless carry folks collectively,” Philippe-Charles shared in the course of the opening convention. He expressed his gratitude for the consideration, calling it a recognition of his lifelong journey in literature.
The event noticed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé reaffirm his dedication to restoring safety in a rustic nonetheless reeling from gang violence and rising worry among the many inhabitants to maneuver freely. Fils-Aimé attended the truthful, together with Nationwide Training Minister Antoine Augustin and Presidential Councilor Frinel Joseph.
“For 31 years, you’ve continued this work, particularly for the youth. I commend your efforts, in addition to these of the authors,” Fils-Aimé stated whereas reaffirming his dedication to restoring safety within the nation. “My biggest salute goes to the youth I see right here at the moment, engaged with studying. It’s by way of literature that they’ll have the ability to make sensible decisions for his or her future.”
However the comment — one he has made many occasions earlier than — comes as many are dropping persistence and religion within the countrys governing physique’s safety plan and its means to resolve some other ongoing points. Simply days earlier, residents of the Central Plateau dismantled a part of the Péligre energy system in protest after gangs tightened their grip on Mirebalais and surrounding communes.
For a lot of on the truthful, literature might supply inspiration — a short escape that shifts the thoughts from actuality — nevertheless it can not exchange the protection they’ve been promised and nonetheless await.
Beneath are extra photos capturing the environment of the Livre en folie :
