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HKBU International Writers’ Workshop (IWW) Successfully Concludes the 2026 Writers-in-Residence Programme

30-03-2026

The International Writers’ Workshop (IWW) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has successfully concluded its 2026 Writers-in-Residence Programme, which ran from 2 to 29 March. This year’s programme, themed “Here & There,” brought six acclaimed international writers to Hong Kong for a month of cross-cultural dialogue, creative exchange, and public engagement. 

The programme featured a rich lineup of events, including an insightful Opening Conversation, a visit to Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) in Zhuhai, and the IWW Literary Festival, which featured a series of panel discussions, literary readings, and writing workshops.

The events drew strong participation from students and staff, local writers and scholars, and the broader Hong Kong literary community, creating opportunities for cultural exchange and conversation about writing across languages and borders. More than 200 people attended the programme’s Opening Conversation on Tuesday, 3 March. 

The 2026 cohort of Writers-in-Residence included:

  • Dong Li (Poet & Translator, Germany) 
  • Gabriela Babnik Ouattara (Novelist & Translator, Slovenia) 
  • Mashiul Alam (Novelist & Translator, Bangladesh) 
  • Rob Doyle (Novelist, Ireland) 
  • Susan Barker (Novelist, UK) 
  • Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (Novelist, Kenya) 

Founded in 2004, the International Writers’ Workshop has welcomed over 150 writers from more than 55 countries, fostering cross-cultural exchange and creative collaboration both within Hong Kong and beyond. For more information about the IWW, please visit the IWW website or follow the IWW on Facebook and Instagram.

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3 March 2026 Opening Conversation: Writers conversed with IWW Director Prof. James Shea
The 3 March 2026 Opening Conversation was well received by HKBU staff and students, secondary school teachers and students, as well as members of the public.
23 March Literary Festival Opening Panel: Writers’ Journeys, writers conversed with Prof. Emily Chow-Quesada, Academy of Language and Culture and IWW Steering Committee Member
24 March Literary Festival: Literary Reading, group photo of writers with Prof. Janice Pan, Director of the Academy of Language and Culture, Prof. James Shea, Director of IWW and Mr. David McKirdy, Emcee of the Literary Reading and IWW Steering Committee Member
25 March Literary Festival Closing Panel: Writing Stories in Motion, writers conversed with Ms. Eva Wong Yi, IWW Steering Committee Member
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