The first edition of Poetry Night in 2026 pays tribute to Angolan writer Nelson Bonavena, a prominent voice in the country’s literary and cultural landscape.
Bonavena is a poet, short-story writer, essayist, and literary critic who emerged in Angolan literature through Vida & Cultura, the cultural supplement of Jornal de Angola, in the early 1980s. A member of the Kiximbula Cultural Movement, he was also the mentor and coordinator of Archote – Young Flame of Angolan Literature (1986–1987), a landmark literary magazine that brought together writers from diverse genres and generations.
A member of the Angolan Writers’ Union (UEA) since 1986, Bonavena has published several influential works, including Ulcerated by Scarce Light (1987), The Limits of Light (2003), 19th-Century Angolan Literature: Pedro Félix Machado (2012), and Cordeiro da Matta: The Poet of the Kwanza River (2012). His writing appears in numerous poetry and essay anthologies, as well as in literary magazines across Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Senegal, France, and the United States.
This evening celebrates poetry as memory, resistance, and illumination—honoring a literary journey that continues to inspire reflection, dialogue, and cultural continuity.
Date: January 28, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Fundação Arte e Cultura
Information: +244 934 567 627
Admission: Free entrance