Muslim Literary Festival returns to Toronto, fostering diverse storytelling
Canada's literary festival dedicated to Muslim writers, the Muslim Literary Festival (MLF), is set to return to the Greater Toronto Area on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
This annual event serves as a platform, connecting Muslim writers with acquiring editors, publishers, and literary agents from diverse backgrounds, aiming to address the historical underrepresentation of Muslim voices in mainstream publishing.
The festival, with a mission rooted in diversity, inclusion, and representation, offers a full day of community networking, industry engagement, talent discovery, and career development.
It also acts as a vital bridge for Canadian publishing professionals seeking to meaningfully engage with Muslim authors and audiences.
This year's theme, “Joyful Narratives & Coexisting Stories,” celebrates the inherent joy in storytelling, self-discovery, and the unique connection between writer and reader. It also honors the rich, evolving layers of identity that shape and are shaped by every story told.
With support from Inspirit Foundation and Canada Summer Jobs, as well as sponsors Simon & Schuster Canada and Halal Fest, MLF is dedicated to empowering Canadian Muslim writers to join the growing movement for diverse, equitable, and inclusive storytelling within the literary world.
Beyond the annual festival, MLF supports both emerging and established Muslim writers through year-round curated panels, workshops, and networking spaces designed to foster creative growth and professional development.
Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Location: Vaughan Studios & Event Space - 200 Apple Mill Rd (3rd Floor)
Key Highlights:
- Keynote Speaker: Critically acclaimed and bestselling novelist, playwright, and teacher, Uzma Jalaluddin. Her works include Detective Aunty, Much Ado About Nada, Three Holidays and a Wedding, Ayesha at Last, and Hana Khan Carries On.
- Poetry Performance and Writing Workshop: Featuring Muslim-Canadian-Indo-Caribbean singer/songwriter Raz Hyder, who has opened for notable artists like Hasan Minhaj and Mustafa the Poet, and Abbas Mohamed, a writer, spoken word artist, and community leader, author of An Opened Heart.
- Networking and One-on-Ones: Opportunities to connect with industry professionals from leading organizations such as Simon & Schuster, Transatlantic Agency, CookeMcDermid Literary Management, and ECW Press.
Tickets for the festival are available from May 1 to June 12.
For more information about the Muslim Literary Festival and to stay updated on future events and opportunities, visit their official website: Muslim Literary Festival