The 2026 Neustadt Lit Fest

World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, will confer the 2026 Neustadt International Prize for Literature on Palestinian writer Ibrahim Nasrallah during the Neustadt Lit Fest, scheduled Sept. 28–30. Nasrallah will receive the $50,000 prize, the Neustadt silver feather, and a certificate at a ceremony at the University of Oklahoma.

The public is invited to the festival in Nasrallah’s honor on the OU Norman campus, where Nasrallah and more than a dozen other participating writers, artists and scholars will give presentations about Palestinian literature and culture as well as Middle Eastern history and politics.

Shereen Malherbe, who successfully nominated Nasrallah for the award and will take part in the 2026 festival, commented that “Nasrallah’s literary works are now more important than ever considering the plight of Palestinians. It is time the world sees the true Palestine, and Nasrallah’s work can offer this perspective.” Robert Con Davis-Undiano, WLT’s executive director, commented that “Nasrallah winning this award will mark a significant moment in the Western reapproach to Palestinian culture.”

In a special event at 10:30 a.m. on day three of the festival, Nasrallah and translator Nancy Roberts will perform a bilingual reading of his poetry, accompanied by Callen Clarke in an oud taqsim, followed by Nasrallah’s keynote at 11:00 a.m. Both events will take place in Meacham Auditorium of the Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave.

During the Lit Fest, Kathy Neustadt will also announce the winner of the 2027 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature at a reception scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Beaird Lounge of the OMU. This year’s NSK jury will also present readings of their work at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon in the union’s Scholars Room (OMU 315). All events are free and open to the public. The complete schedule and additional details can be found on this website. For interested attendees who cannot participate in person, archived videos of the lit fest will be posted on WLT’s YouTube channel.

Established in 1927, the World Literature Today organization serves the international, state and university communities by achieving excellence as a literary publication, a sponsor of literary prizes and a humanities center for students. For questions about the prize, the 2026 festival, or WLT, contact Terri Stubblefield (tdstubb@ou.edu) or RC Davis-Undiano (rcdavis@ou.edu). For accommodations, please call 405-325-4531.

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