KOJES is a non-profit youth association founded in November 2020 in Cité Soleil, the largest slum in Haïti and the Caribbean. From its inception, KOJES has been committed to promoting education, culture, and training through various initiatives. One of its flagship projects is a space for social and cultural debate that has allowed many young people to meet and discuss social issues. Although the clashes that resumed in Cité Soleil in September 2022 temporarily halted this section, KOJES was able to recover by launching the KOJES letter-writing competition, aimed at reestablishing this precious connection between young people through literature. Today, the association is embarking on a new challenge with the Jèn Soley Festival, which will take place from September 20 to 22, 2025, under the evocative theme: "Saying to Exist." Among the guests participating in this festival are the renowned Lyonel Trouillot, the talented poet Carl Henry Burrin, the young slam poet Pacôme Emmanuel, the novelist Louis Bernard Henry, the poet Inima Jeudi, and the young poet Adlyne Bonhomme.
HaïtiWhy another literary festival in the Haitian cultural landscape?
"In a constantly evolving cultural environment, there is always room for new initiatives," writer Litainé Laguerre, coordinator of the association, told us. He also affirmed that the KOJES 2025 Festival aims to create a space for encounters and sharing around literature, while emphasizing the importance of artistic expression in a society in crisis. "This festival is distinguished not only by its commitment to including writers from diverse regions, but also by the launch of the Gran Pri KOJES, an award designed to honor a writer for their complete work. This event will highlight the importance of Haitian literature in an increasingly difficult context, while providing a platform for young talent," he concluded.
HaïtiAn investment in art despite the challenges
Organizing a large-scale event in a context as uncertain as Haiti’s is a major challenge. However, KOJES firmly believes that art and culture are essential to human life. Despite the successive crises affecting the country, the association wanted to provide a space where everyone can express themselves through dance, writing, reading, and drawing workshops, particularly for the children of Cité Soleil. The festival thus becomes an act of cultural resistance, a way of demonstrating that, even in adversity, culture can and must survive.
Call for Public Collaboration
KOJES invites the public to actively participate in the festival, not as mere spectators, but as collaborators. The goal is to create a collective dynamic where every voice counts. The public, essential to the success of the event, is invited to be at the heart of this gathering, to exchange, discuss, and get involved in the association’s cultural project.
