The Sections of Italian Studies and African Languages and Literatures at the University of Cape Town and the Section of Italian Studies and the Section of Translation and Interpretation Studies at Wits, in collaboration with the Italian government authorities in South Africa, have embarked on a project to produce a book of short stories in reflecting the creativity of young writers in the languages of Italian, isiXhosa and isiZulu in South Africa. It is also planned to source young illustrators for the book by considering illustrations submitted. The topic of the proposed volume is “Freedom” (Inkululeko : Libertà), as interpreted by the authors and illustrators.

Declaration of interest by completing the google form (by the 31^st of January 2025): https://forms.gle/Kta63k5NDvLgJfYbA

Submission of short stories and illustrations (by the 18^th March 2025) to: inkululeko.liberta@gmail.com

The book is envisaged for publication in 2025 and those stories and illustrations selected will be featured widely in bookstores across South Africa and hopefully in Italy as well. All stories should come with an English translation to be included in this multilingual project. We currently invite young people (18-25 years old) to submit stories in Italian, isiXhosa and isiZulu, and illustrators to supply illustrations by way of example of their work. The best three short stories in each language, and the best illustrator, adjudged by the editors, will receive R10 000 each. The object of the project is to foreground multilingual and multicultural cooperation in South African youth culture, and to bring these cultures and languages into exciting conversation.