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LESPWA: When writing becomes a light for Haitian youth

In a country where daily difficulties can often seem insurmountable, Haitian youth need sources of inspiration to move forward. The LESPWA writing contest, initiated by Oriol ANTOINE, photographer and cultural activist, offers young people a unique opportunity to express themselves through words and share a message of encouragement and resilience.

Jennifer EUGÈNE: A Pen in Service of Humanity

Jennifer EUGÈNE was born in Port-au-Prince on May 1st, 1995. She is an author and lawyer by training, and she skillfully combines her two passions: the defense of human rights and writing. From a young age, she found shelter and refuge in words, offering solace against a world that is often too chaotic and difficult. While other young people of her age shared their lives out loud, she immersed herself in her own universe, that of writing. At the age of fourteen, writing became for her more than just a hobby: it became a means of finding inner peace, overcoming struggles, and understanding herself. It was in this context that she found her true vocation.

Timoun se Moun: A poetry competition to promote children’s rights in Haiti

A wounded country. Bent under the weight of a multidimensional crisis. Widespread violence. Hope slammed shut. A sacrificed generation. Children are increasingly threatened. They are increasingly confronted with all forms of vulnerability that hinder their overall development. ACTIF is launching the second edition of the "Timoun se Moun" poetry competition. A citizen initiative in which the organization uses writing as a springboard to build what life deprives Haitian children of. Pain can be turned into gold. For ACTIF (Community Action for Transformation and Formal Integration), poetry is a philosopher’s stone. Not only for this organization, but also for all those who believe that writing can help rekindle the stars. Faced with this urgent need for action, this is "an initiative to raise awareness, denounce, and affirm loud and clear that every child matters, every child deserves protection, hope, and a future," reads the competition’s descriptive document. So what do you intend to do with your human light? Through this competition, participants have the opportunity to engage in an act of resistance, like a cry of conscience to raise the voice of broken childhoods. Open from May 18 to June 18, "Timoun se Moun" is open to all Haitians living in the country and aged 18 and over. Texts must be submitted in Creole. Behind this initiative, ACTIF intends, on the one hand, to affirm our cultural and linguistic identity, and on the other, to enrich our Creole literature, promote it, and encourage creativity in our vernacular. The text must not exceed 500 words. The format chosen is PDF, Times New Roman font, size 12, and 1.5 line spacing. This competition aims to offer a touch of affection to these children who are the first victims of the country’s descent into hell. To evaluate the literary quality and essence of the submitted texts, a jury is composed of Ruthza Paul, Douglas Zamor, and Darly Renois. The former is a physician and winner of the first edition of this competition. The other two work in the fields of sociology, psychology, and literature. In addition to the "Jury Prize: 15,000 HTG + books + certificate" and "Audience Prize: 5,000 HTG + certificate + books" prizes, the best texts will be included in an anthology to be published by Éditions Répérages. It should be noted that there will be one winner for each prize. This initiative reflects ACTIF’s commitment to honoring authors who embrace the cause of underprivileged children while enriching Haiti’s literary heritage. This competition extends a helping hand to all those who believe that through poetry, one can transform one’s life into a masterpiece. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to contribute to ACTIF’s child protection program. Each participant may submit a single text. It must be sent by email to the following address: actifkonkoupwezi@gmail.com. The partial results will be published on June 30, 2025, and the final results on July 18, 2025. For more information, visit ACTIF at the following address: 18 Rue Desdunes, Imp. Thoby, Mahotière 79, Carrefour, Haiti, or contact the organization at the following number: (+509) 38 44 57 57. More than just a contest, ACTIF invites you to say No. No to forgetting. No to passivity. No to violence against children and the violation of their rights.

CSimon Publishing: The Publishing House that Marks a New Era for Haitian Literature

Haïti is a true powerhouse in today’s literary world. For centuries, the country has been endowed with remarkable intellectual wealth that has led to exceptional achievements. Today, with more than 20 major active writers, whose works resonate far beyond Haitian borders, Haïti is one of the countries with the highest number of writers per capita. Among these writers, we can mention Edwige Danticat, Pulitzer Prize winner; Louis-Philippe d’Alambert, Goncourt Prize for Poetry in 2024; René Depestre, Goncourt Prize for Novels in 1982; Dany Laferrière, Renaudot Prize winner and member of the French Academy; Lyonel Trouillot and Frankétienne, globally known for their works; not to forget the current star of Haitian literature, finalist of the 2022 Goncourt Prize with his masterpiece Une somme humaine, referring to Makenzy Orcel. These names stand alongside legendary figures such as Jacques Roumain, Anténor Firmin, Jacques Stéphen Alexis, and Oswald Durant, forming significant marks on world culture through their writings. Today, this literary tradition continues to nourish new talents, but one problem persists: the absence of serious and well-structured Haitian publishing houses in sufficient quantity to support these young authors.

Letter to My Favorite Author: An Initiative by CSimon Publishing and the Port-au-Prince Book Fair

The "Letter to My Favorite Author" contest is a joint initiative by CSmon Publishing, a publishing house based in Virginia, USA, and the Port-au-Prince Book Fair. The contest aims to create a platform where young literature enthusiasts can express their affection and admiration for the authors who have impacted their lives through a letter dedicated to them. This letter can be written in Haitian Creole or French by any young person aged 18 to 30 living in Haiti. The author to whom the letter is addressed can be Haitian or foreign, and even from the medieval period. The contest began on January 27, with registration closing on that date, and will continue until April 15, when the prizes will be awarded. The awards, which are 75,000 gourdes for the winner, 50,000 gourdes for the second place, and 25,000 gourdes for third place, will be presented during the event "Living in Prose and Poetry," organized annually by the Port-au-Prince Book Fair, to be held in 2025 at the French Institute in Haiti.

Ayiti Liv: A Digital Initiative for the Preservation of Haitian Literary Heritage

"Ayiti Liv" is an online platform dedicated strictly to promoting Haitian literature. It will be operational starting May 1, 2025, and will feature about 300 major works of Haitian literature, written by over 70 authors. Full public access will be granted for its launch phase. Jean Venel Casseus, one of the platform’s initiators, explains that this initiative was created to fill a significant gap, and this vast project is being carried out by him and a passionate team of Haitian literature lovers.

The literary and philosophical club of Galette-Chambon reveals its second edition: a journey to the heart of books

In an atmosphere of madness, at the Auditorium Saint Jean Marie Vianney de Galette-Chambon, where the laughs broke out, the music resounded, and the talents were dismented, started the second edition of the reading competition, around the theme "Ann Li pou n chanje peyi n ». This initiative, organized by the literary and philosophical club of Galette Chambon (CLPGACH) on Friday 06 October 2024, was marked by an overflowing passion within the public. The spectators came for several reasons: to support the applicants and live their presentations. The works, as "thus spoke of the uncle", "the vocation of the elite" of Jean Price Mars, "the ten black men" of Etzer vilary and "the courage to live in Haïti in the 21st century" of Hérold Toussaint, present innovative arguments linked to the societal context. They intertwine with folklore, Haitian culture, sociology and anthropology. These books are given to the applicants for a period of 15 days. Back, they come with their summaries and, after each presentation, in turn, reveal new perspectives on burning questions and delicate themes from works, while taking into account the concepts learned in public speaking. In this arena where the verve and the verb clash as well as logic, conviction, precision and clarity, it is a question of "saying all in a few words". The judgments are based on three criteria: the methodology concerning the substance and the form of the work; The eloquence which concerns verbal and non -verbal discourse (micro management, good pronunciation, etc.); And finally, an essential criterion: understanding. This is to assess whether the applicant has controlled the work. Questions can be asked without ignoring the context in which he lives. In addition, assistants have the opportunity to vote for the applicant who charmed them the most. This vote is precious at a higher level. Note that this vote can be made not only face -to -face but also online on our Facebook page CLPGACH. In addition, the public has always changed well through this trip to the universe of regional authors. The latter weave the frame and make vital the very repertoire of the competition vital, made up of impactful works such as "the price of irresponsibility" of Montuma Murat, "the return to citizen responsibility" written by Jean Jacquesson Thelucier and "Courage to live in Haïti in the 21st century "Professor Hérold Toussaint, to name a few. Although they died, some writers still live at the heart of our situation through their inheritance. Among them, it is necessary to quote: "the vocation of the elite" of Doctor Jean Price Mars, "the ten black men" of Etzer Villaire and "the Governor of the dew" by Jacques Roumain, as well as so many others . For this literary event to be moving and meets expectations for this second edition, many sacrifices are necessary on the part of the staff as well as the public which never leaves us alone. In this sense, we would like to thank them and call all those wishing to support this event. Indeed, if this competition is a solution found to advance together towards a common goal, its success depends on everyone’s commitment. About two years ago, the security climate in the area was not conducive to the completion of the competition. Although it is not yet ideal today, it is time to triumph over obscurantism and fight the dictatorship of ambient ignorance.