Kinshasa, September 3rd, 2026 (CPA). – A day of tribute to the late Congolese writer and philosopher Valentin-Yves Mudimbe, focusing on his philosophical and literary legacy, has been announced for September 11th, 2026, in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as part of the Grande Rentrée Littéraire (the Major literary new season), the organizers have told CPA on Thursday.
“As part of the Grande rentrée littéraire, the Delegation and the Wallonia-Brussels Centre are organizing a day of tribute with literature enthusiasts on the outdoor stage in front of the Wallonia-Brussels Library, entitled ‘Thinking about Africa and reinventing knowledge: the philosophical legacy of Valentin-Yves Mudimbe’. ”, has declared Richard Ali, initiator of the Grande rentrée littéraire in Kinshasa.
According to him, despite his passing, Valentin-Yves Mudimbe remains an intellectual compass, whose thinking deserves to be passed on to younger generations, particularly for his contribution to reflection on Africa and the production of knowledge. “I will never stop saying it: Mudimbe is the pope of African literature, the undisputed patriarch of our literary criticism. He is a library in his own right, a conscience that has guided an entire generation towards the light,” he has maintained.
The Kinshasa Literary Festival, scheduled for September 10th -12th, 2026 at the Wallonia-Brussels Centre, will be centered on the theme: ‘Literature: guardian of memories and key to holistic development’, Richard Ali has announced. This event, which is open to the public, will bring together literature enthusiasts for a range of activities dedicated to promoting books, intellectual reflection and the sharing of knowledge. The day of September 11th will be specifically dedicated to the philosophical and literary legacy of Valentin-Yves Mudimbe, a leading figure in contemporary African thought.
A leading African thinker
Born in Jadotville – now Likasi – in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Valentin-Yves Mudimbe has passed away on April 21st, 2025, in Northern California, in the United States.
A writer, philosopher, historian and university professor, he is regarded as one of the most influential African thinkers of his generation. His works have focused in particular on the production of knowledge about Africa, the continent’s intellectual history and representations of Africa in Western discourse. During his career, he has received several honors, including honorary doctorates from the University of Paris 7 Diderot in 1997, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in 2006 and the University of Lubumbashi in 2019. CPA/