PAWA Calls For Submissions From African Poets

The Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), an association of writers in Africa and the Diaspora, has called for the submission of poems from all African poets to its PAWA Poetry Competition.

To participate, African poets aged 18 to 45 should send an original, unpublished poem through the competition’s online link.

The poem can be written in the English Language or any African language. Poems written in Indigenous languages must be submitted alongside their English translations.

Although there is no restriction on theme or content addressed, submitted poems will be judged based on the poet’s mastery of the poetic techniques, clarity of ideas, depth of emotion, quality of composition, impact of execution, and the authenticity of expression.

The submission deadline is March 27, whilst the winning poems will be announced in May 2026.