August 2025 — The Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series is now inviting submissions of poems and short prose for possible inclusion in its next anthology, dedicated to the theme of African migration and (im)mobility.
The series welcomes work that explores the histories, realities, and futures of African and African diasporic migration—across time and space, within the continent and beyond. Writers are encouraged to engage with themes such as displacement, journeys, belonging, loss, resilience, and the imaginative possibilities of movement in and beyond this world.
Migration has long been part of African life. Across generations, people have moved within and beyond the continent in search of new opportunities, education, safety, or as a response to climate change, war, conflict, and persecution. These experiences—whether personal, familial, or communal—have shaped stories of departure, arrival, return, and absence. The anthology seeks to give voice to these narratives through poetry and short prose.
Submission Guidelines
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Poems: 40 lines or less
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Short fiction/prose: 100 words or less
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Theme: African migration
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Language: English (translations welcome with permission from copyright holder)
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Previously published work accepted with full details and proof of copyright ownership
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Maximum: Three poems or three prose pieces (or a combination)
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Submissions should be typed single-spaced, either in the body of an email or as a .doc attachment
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Include a short biography (50 words or less)
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Submissions are welcome from writers of all ages, anywhere in the world
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Send to: forcedmigrationandthearts@gmail.com
About the Series
The Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series is a multi-year, multi-volume initiative that creates a literary platform for reflecting on African and African diasporic migration and (im)mobility.
Inspired by the Africa Migration Report: 2nd Edition (African Union and International Organization for Migration, March 2024), the project is organized by Forced Migration and The Arts, in collaboration with CivicLeicester and the migrants’ rights collective, Regularise.
The first volume in the series, Japa Fire: An Anthology of Poems on African and African Diasporic Migration (CivicLeicester, 2024), was published in December 2024 to wide acclaim.
This continuing series provides poets and writers with an opportunity to contribute to the global conversation on migration, its causes, effects, and human dimensions.
For more information and full submission guidelines, please contact:
Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series
E: forcedmigrationandthearts@gmail.com
