Fabula ‒ Literature of the World festival 2026

Festival Literature of the World – Fabula is the most prominent literary festival in Slovenia and one of the leading literary events in the wider region. Since its establishment in 2003, it has hosted many outstanding contemporary authors whose work has shaped world literature and transcended national boundaries, including Herta Müller, Michel Houellebecq, Jonathan Franzen, Hanif Kureishi, Rachel Cusk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Bernardine Evaristo, Deborah Levy, Éric Vuillard, Francis Fukuyama, and many others. Over more than two decades, Fabula has developed a distinctive curatorial concept, annually inviting five carefully selected international authors—either established literary figures or key voices of contemporary writing. Through Fabula Hub, the festival systematically supports emerging authors, while Fabulin izbor highlights outstanding prose works by Slovenian writers.

(co)responsible – the slogan of 2026

Fabula 2026 will take place under the multilayered slogan (co)responsible, addressing a central question of our time: how to live and act in a world marked by crises of trust, truth, and collective agency. The parentheses signal that responsibility is never solely individual but always shared—between people, communities, generations, and languages. In the context of climate emergencies, political radicalisation, technological disruption, and disinformation, the festival opens a space for reflection on responsibility toward language and narrative, history and memory, nature and the body, and the other. Literature is understood not only as a reflection of the world but as a space in which it is actively re-articulated. Through diverse literary approaches—from introspective and philosophical to documentary—authors foreground solidarity, vulnerability, and civic awareness as fundamental literary and human values.

Decentralisation and programme orientation

Fabula consistently pursues the decentralisation of cultural activity by connecting Ljubljana, Celje, Maribor, and other Slovenian cities, creating a network of literary venues that link local communities with leading international authors. A special role is played by Ljubljana and Celje, Slovenia’s UNESCO Cities of Literature. Celje, in cooperation with the Central Library Celje, is developing as a major festival hub with a strong participatory programme, while Ljubljana, in partnership with Cankarjev dom, remains the main venue for central literary and humanistic events, with a focus on theoretical reflection and international cooperation. Fabula is actively involved in European platforms and projects such as CELA (Connecting Emerging Literary Artists) and W.Write, and is a member of the European Festivals Association (EFA), strengthening its international positioning and integration into European cultural networks.

Main literary guests 2026

The central literary guests of Fabula 2026 are Colum McCann (Ireland/USA), Marek Torčík (Czech Republic), Jonas Lüscher (Switzerland), Jakuta Alikavazovic (France), and Sergio Ramírez (Nicaragua, Cervantes Prize laureate). In Celje, the new programme strand Fabula Focus will highlight a neighbouring literary region each year; in 2026, it will focus on the Balkans, with Croatian authors Kristian Novak and Slavenka Drakulić, whose works address memory, identity, violence, social transformation, and individual responsibility.

Theoretical focus

Fabula also maintains a strong humanistic and theoretical orientation. The concluding week of the festival will be marked by Fabula in Theory, dedicated to questions of law, representation, interpretation, and responsibility. The main guests will be the British lawyer and author Philippe Sands and the British psychoanalyst and writer Darian Leader (in cooperation with Analecta). The programme remains a key space for in-depth public dialogue between literature and contemporary humanistic thought.

Accompanying programme

Fabula 2026 will offer a rich accompanying programme for all generations, including Mlada Fabula (youth programme), Fabula Polis (literature in public space), Fabulin izbor (contemporary Slovenian prose), Fabula Hub (emerging voices), and Fabula Beyond Literature, which connects literature with other artistic practices. Through international cooperation, particularly within CELA and W.Write, the festival supports young authors and translators and contributes to feminist and inclusive cultural policies, ensuring broad access to high-quality literature across Slovenia.