By PEN Eritrea in Exile invites poets from Eritrea and Ethiopia to submit work for a forthcoming anthology bringing voices from both countries into a shared literary space.
About the Anthology
At a time when the arts are often dismissed or mobilised for narrow agendas, Voices for Peace understands poetry as serious human testimony. The anthology holds peace as a horizon, shaping the questions it asks and the voices it gathers.
This anthology does not prescribe solutions or impose narratives. It creates space for poets to write from their own truths, shaped by memory, conflict, displacement, survival, intimacy, silence, or hope. Poets are not summoned to advocate or praise for peace, but to recognise its necessity—to bear witness to its weight, its absence, and its fragile presences in our lives.
Eligibility
Open to poets of Eritrean or Ethiopian descent, living in the region or in diaspora. All career stages are welcome.
Submission Guidelines
- What to submit: Up to 3 unpublished poems (max 5 pages total)
- How: Online form only via this Google Form Link
- Format: Single document (.doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, or PDF). Times New Roman/Arial/Calibri, 12pt, single or 1.5 spacing, standard margins
- Language: Any language spoken or written in Eritrea and Ethiopia
- Deadline: 18 April 2026
Translation
If work is selected, professional translation will be arranged with care for linguistic, cultural, and poetic integrity, and where possible, in consultation with the poet. The anthology will publish both the original language and English translation side by side.
Important Notes
- One submission at a time: Poets should wait to hear back before resubmitting. Multiple submissions will be archived unread.
- Unpublished work only: Poems must not have appeared in print or online for any reason. Work shared on social media, personal websites, or blogs is considered published.
- Simultaneous submissions accepted: If work is accepted elsewhere, poets should notify the editorial team immediately at peneritrea@gmail.com
- Email submissions will not be reviewed
What the Anthology Seeks
Poets are free to approach their work in their own way. Writing may engage with experiences such as war and its aftermath, memory and survival, displacement and belonging, or silence, intimacy, peace and hope. These are points of reference, not requirements.
Editorial Commitment
This anthology affirms literary independence and freedom of expression. Poems are selected for their craft, originality, and integrity, not for alignment with any political position or agenda.
The editorial team explicitly rejects the use of literature as propaganda. Poetry is held as a space for attention, inquiry, and imaginative freedom, where complexity is allowed to stand and where poets may speak without instruction or coercion.
Inclusion in the anthology does not imply agreement with other contributors, and publication does not signal endorsement of any viewpoint. This is a shared literary space without prescription.
Rights & Compensation
- Copyright: Poets retain full copyright to their work.
- Publication rights: By submitting, poets grant the anthology non-exclusive rights to publish selected poems in print and digital formats, including associated promotional materials.
- Compensation: Selected poets will receive an honorarium of $200 upon publication.
Timeline & Selection
- Submissions close: 18 April 2026
- Selection: Based solely on quality and integrity of work. Responses expected within 8 weeks of the deadline.
- Notification: Only selected poets will be contacted. Due to volume, individual feedback cannot be provided.
Questions: peneritrea@gmail.com
