18th edition of FILDAK: Ken Bugul, Saliou Diop Cissé and the memory of Cheikh Hamidou Kane celebrated in Dakar

Centered on the theme "Library, Transmission, Sovereignty," the 18th Dakar International Book and Educational Materials Fair (FILDAK) honored Egypt and paid a well-deserved tribute to the late Cheikh Hamidou Kane, who recently passed away. On Friday, October 16, 2026, several prominent figures were recognized for their influence and commitment to the publishing world.

The choice to honor Egypt for this 18th edition expresses the close historical and cultural ties that this country has maintained with Senegal since 1963, thus opening up new perspectives for cooperation in the book industry.

Cheikh Hamidou Kane and Ken Bugul: A vibrant tribute to literary giants

This awards ceremony, presided over by Mame Coumba Mané Diop, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Culture, Crafts, Tourism, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage, was marked by a poignant tribute to Cheikh Hamidou Kane. Born on April 2, 1928, and deceased on October 4, 2026, the author of the masterpiece Ambiguous Adventure (Grand Prix littéraire d'Afrique noire 1962) and Guardians of the Temple (1995) was duly honored for his masterful career, in the presence of his family, who were particularly moved by this national recognition.

Another key figure in the literary scene honored was the novelist Ken Bugul (Mariétou Mbaye Biléoma). Crowned with the Grand Prix littéraire d'Afrique noire in 2000 for Riwan ou le chemin de sable and awarded in January 2025 in Spain for her commitment to women's rights, the author of Le Baobab fou and La Folie et la Mort saw her courageous and denunciatory writing unanimously praised by the assembly.

Encouraging creativity and celebrating youth engagement

Beyond the big names, FILDAK 2026 gave pride of place to emerging talent. The Aminata Sow Fall Prize was awarded to tax inspector Saliou Diop Cissé for his novel Verdict , which will be published by the Directorate of Books and accompanied by a check for one million CFA francs. The Amadou Makhtar Mbow Prize was awarded to student El Hadj Issa Lô, while philosopher and former minister Abdoulaye Élimane Kane and teacher Mamadou Fati Cissé were decorated with the National Order of Merit.

Youth also shone, with the award given to Astou Mbène Thioub, journalist and host of the program "Zéro faute" on RFM (Futurs Médias Group), recognized for over twenty years of passionate dedication to children and reading. "I was barely 20 when I started at RFM... they let me live my passion," she rejoiced, standing alongside her father, the eminent historian and academic Ibrahima Thioub.

Finally, the ceremony honored several other key players in the book industry: conference interpreter Marie Aïssatou Diop Wane, journalist Annette Mbaye d'Erneville, CICES agent Raymond Georges Vidal, Guinean publisher Sansy Kaba Diakité (founder of L'Harmattan Guinée), and Alioune Badara Sène, promoter of the Ndayane Cultural Festival. Praising these "guardians of the flame," Minister Mame Coumba Mané Diop commended the rigor and discipline of all those who write, publish, and keep literature alive.