Africa-Press – Ghana. Speculative fiction will take the centre stage of the 2025 PA Gya! Festival, Ms. Mamle Kabu, Co-Director of the Writers Project Ghana, has disclosed
She noted that the 2025 edition is for speculative fiction with numerous events and workshops dedicated to the genre, emphasising that the core workshop, “Estranging the Ordinary” will explore the genre’s depth and breadth.
The director of the writing group said this at the launch of the 9th Pa Gya! Literature Festival held at the residence of the European Union Ambassador’s residence in Accra.
The festival, an annual event of the Ghana Writers Project, stresses literature’s vital role in cultural exchange between Ghana and the rest of the world.
The Festival will run from October 18-20 at the Goethe-Institut in Accra.
Distinguished guest writers and speakers include a poet laureate from Holland, and filmmakers from Suriname, are part of the line-up of performers at the festival.
The festival’s activities include workshops on creative non-fiction and speculative fiction on Friday, followed by panels, readings, and performances on Saturday and Sunday..
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term for fiction that deliberately goes beyond the known or accepted reality, encompassing genres that imagine worlds or events different from current, objective reality.
It is defined by its core characteristic notably the introduction of speculative elements which are not part of the established physical laws, history, or social norms of the real world.
The Co-Director of writer’s Project said the speculative genre was increasingly being adopted by African writers not just for entertainment, but as a potent medium for social commentary and imaginative decolonisation.
Ms. Kabu’s said speculative fiction signals an exciting trajectory for African literature, embracing a style that pushes creative boundaries and facilitates profound cultural reflection.
On his part, Mr. Rune Skinnebach, European Union Ambassador to Ghana, said speculative fiction was a genre with universal power.
He noted that literature resonated in different ways while often sharing important values and messages about tolerance, inclusion or the daily struggles and beauty of life that are universal.
The Ambassador stressed that universal connection of speculative fiction amplified by a dedicated focus on speculative fiction, positions the Pa Gya! Festival as a key hub for shaping the next era of African literary imagination.
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