African languages, literature and oral storytelling traditions featured prominently at the Helsinki Book Fair 2026, where the Finnish African Society and AfriStadi brought together books, multilingual learning resources and discussions on the role of language in cultural identity and technological change.
Held at Messukeskus in Helsinki, the annual book fair placed language at the centre of its programme, exploring how people use it to communicate, express themselves and connect across cultures. The Finnish-African Society, working with AfriStadi, the Africa Research Forum for Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Helsinki, used the occasion to introduce visitors to African and Black authors, multilingual children’s literature and the importance of preserving languages across generations.
The initiative received funding from the University of Helsinki’s Diversity in Society and Life (DIVSOL) research area. Its exhibition space brought together academic research and community engagement, giving visitors an opportunity to explore African literature and the different ways languages shape experiences within African communities and the diaspora.
A key part of the exhibition involved collaboration with Finnish publishing houses WSOY, Otava, Tammi, Johnny Kniga and Aviador. The publishers supported the presentation of books by African and Black authors, including works translated into Finnish and titles originally published in the language. The collaboration helped introduce readers to writers and perspectives that may be less familiar to audiences in Finland.
The selection of books also showed the range of subjects and experiences represented in contemporary African and Black literature. Among the featured works were Rita Kostama’s Sitruunapuun varjoista Suomeen, alongside novels by Lola Akinmade Åkerström, including In Every Mirror She’s Black and Bitter Honey. Their presence reflected the exhibition’s interest in making different literary voices accessible to Finnish readers.
Children’s literature and language learning were another important part of the programme. Materials by Hikmot Adewunmi Salako presented multilingual learning opportunities, while Nimco Noor’s collection of Somali and Finnish proverbs brought together expressions from two linguistic traditions. Emily Joof’s children’s books, including Our Favourite Things and Lalo the Brave Lion, also featured, highlighting the role of multilingual stories in helping children encounter different cultures and languages.
These resources offered a practical dimension to the exhibition. For children growing up in multilingual households, books can help maintain connections with family languages while supporting the development of other languages used in everyday life. For parents, educators and other visitors, the displayed titles provided examples of how literature can make more than one language part of a child’s reading experience.
The programme also looked beyond printed books to consider how technology could affect the future of African languages. Discussions organised by the Finnish-African Society examined the role of artificial intelligence and other technologies in preserving, translating and expanding access to mother tongues across the African diaspora.
The conversations addressed a subject with growing relevance as digital tools become more involved in translation, education and the production of written content. Technology offers possible ways to make language resources more accessible, but its usefulness depends in part on whether different languages are adequately represented in the tools being developed. The discussions placed these questions alongside the broader challenge of maintaining linguistic heritage across generations and communities.
The partnership between the Finnish-African Society and AfriStadi also connected the exhibition to wider conversations about African societies, humanities research and cultural representation. By bringing books, educational materials and public discussions into the same space, the initiative gave visitors several ways to engage with African languages, whether through literature, children’s stories, proverbs or questions about artificial intelligence.
For the Finnish-African Society, the exhibition provided an opportunity to advance its work in African literature and the arts while connecting authors and publishers with readers in Finland. The involvement of AfriStadi and the DIVSOL research area added an academic dimension to that effort, linking public engagement with research into diversity and society.
The Helsinki Book Fair’s focus on language offered a setting in which these subjects could be explored together. The Finnish-African Society and AfriStadi’s contribution showed how literary events can introduce readers to authors beyond familiar publishing markets while creating space for discussion about multilingualism, cultural identity and the future of less widely represented languages.
