KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s reading culture will take centre stage this September with the launch of World of Words – Kuala Lumpur (WoW-KL), a three-day literary festival at Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia.
The event, from Sept 17 to 19, aims to spark a national movement to revive the love of books and storytelling.
The festival will draw more than 2,000 participants, from schoolchildren and university students to educators, publishers, book clubs, and the wider public, all united by a mission to bring back the magic of words.
The first day of the event will focus on schools, with writing competitions, workshops, and forums to inspire children to see literature as exciting and alive, while parents and teachers will explore their role in nurturing lifelong readers.
The focus on the second day shifts to universities and young adults with panels on careers in publishing and digital storytelling, alongside book club sessions and contemporary writing competitions.
The final day will be a celebration for all, featuring author talks, book launches, and workshops on screenwriting and storytelling.
The WoW-KL Awards will close the event, recognising unsung contributors such as editors, illustrators, librarians, and bookshops.
Behind the festival is award-winning author and publisher Sajeet Soudagar, whose vision has drawn support from institutions including Bank Negara’s Financial Services Library, the National Library, the Writers’ Association of Malaysia, the British Council, National Association of Private Educational Institutions and Google Malaysia.
Among the names confirmed for the programme are psychologist Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj, education pioneer Datuk Parmjit Singh, storyteller Tutu Dutta, book influencer Diana Yeong, and student writer Nurul Qurratu’Aini (Nino).
Together, they will highlight the festival’s goal of making reading visible, engaging, and vital to Malaysia’s future.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
