Night of Arabic Literature 2026 Friday 13 November in Amsterdam, programme and tickets

What the Night of Arabic Literature is

The Night of Arabic Literature is the yearly evening of El Hizjra, an Amsterdam centre for Arabic art and culture. Writers, thinkers and makers meet an audience for an evening of literature, talk, music and food, with a market of stalls in the form of a souk.

This year it is the opening night of the El Hizjra Festival. The evening brings an interview with a guest writer, appearances by the El Hizjra debutants, dance and a closing concert, with time in between to wander, eat and talk.

El Hizjra has existed since 1987 and sees itself as a link between Arabic culture and life in the Netherlands. The Amsterdam Fund for the Arts describes it as an easy place to start for anyone curious about Arabic literature, art and culture, whatever their roots.

When is the Night of Arabic Literature in 2026?

This year the night is on Friday 13 November 2026. Doors open at 19:30 and the evening ends at 22:00. It opens the El Hizjra Festival, which then runs through November.

The date moves from year to year: last year El Hizjra opened its festival with the night on 28 November 2025.

The programme: ElGendy, dance and Dalal Barnoussi

Doors open at 19:30. At 20:00 Mohamed Mahdi opens the evening, with the El Hizjra debutants on stage, and at 20:30 comes the interview with the main guest. Dance by Laila El Bazi and more debutants follow, and at 21:30 Dalal Barnoussi performs.

The main guest is the Egyptian writer Abdelrahman ElGendy, who talks about his new memoir Huna: A Memoir of Revolution, Prison, and Becoming. The book looks back on his arrest at seventeen as an activist and the six years he then spent in prison as a political prisoner, and also on family, love and language.

The souk stays open between the items, so you can browse, eat and carry on talking with the writers. Dalal Barnoussi, a singer from Marrakech, closes the night with a concert.

Where it takes place and how to get there

The night is held at Floor17, Staalmeesterslaan 410 in Amsterdam: the restaurant on the 17th floor of the Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam Rembrandtpark, with a view over the city.

El Hizjra says you can park for free at the location. By public transport, a tram stop (Adm. Helfrichstraat) is about 150 metres from the hotel, and the hotel puts the tram ride to the centre at around fifteen minutes. The nearest train station is Amsterdam Lelylaan, about 2.5 km away.

Tickets for the Night of Arabic Literature

A ticket costs €15 and includes two drinks and the concert by Dalal Barnoussi. You buy it through the ticket button on El Hizjra's festival page, which leads to Eventbrite. Eventbrite lists refunds up to one day before the event.

El Hizjra also runs a registration form for its free festival events. The night itself is a ticketed evening.

After the night: the rest of the El Hizjra Festival

The El Hizjra Festival takes place at several locations in Amsterdam, mostly in Nieuw-West. Most events are free; you sign up with the form on the festival page. The programme after the opening night lists, among others:

15 November: a preview of the exhibition Huiskamer van Nieuw-West and Debutanten aan zet. 16 November: a lecture on the life and work of Rumi. 17 November: Writers Connected. 18 November: Women in the Arab World. 19 November: the film Cinema Arabe: Goundafa, The Cursed Song. 20 November: the El Hizjra Literatuurprijs. 30 November: film, dinner and conversation about Fatema, the Unforgettable Sultana.

El Hizjra says the programme is still being added to.