Tumaini Festival - 2026

The Tumaini Festival 2026 is the upcoming edition of the unique, internationally acclaimed cultural festival organized entirely within the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. The festival, whose name means "hope" in Swahili, celebrates a major milestone this year: its umbrella organization, Tumaini Letu, has officially been named a winner of the prestigious 2026 Ockenden International Prize. This global recognition highlights the festival as a premier example of refugee-led initiatives that foster self-reliance and cultural integration.

What to Expect for the 2026 Edition
• Dates & Admission: The specific dates for 2026 will be announced soon by the organizers. The festival traditionally takes place in the autumn (late October or early November). In line with its mission, entry to the festival is completely free to ensure accessibility for both the refugee community and outside visitors.
• The Program: Across multiple stages (including the Elikiva, Khizera, and theater stages), the festival offers three days of live music, traditional dance, theater, poetry, fashion shows, and workshops. It brings together talented artists living in the camp (originally from countries like the DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi) alongside major Malawian and international acts.
• Unique Accommodation: For international and local travelers, the festival runs the Dzaleka Homestay Program. This allows you to stay directly with families inside the camp, offering a profound insight into their daily lives and resilience, while providing direct financial support to the host families.

Tumaini Festival is a three-day annual festival taking place within the Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Dowa Malawi. Dzaleka is the only refugee camp in Malawi and was established in 1994 from the genocide in Rwanda, Burindi and the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it located 45 km from Lilongwe the Malawi’s Capital.

Established in 2014, Tumaini is the world's first and only festival held within a refugee camp; it uses arts and culture to promote intercultural harmony, foster mutual understanding, and create a peaceful coexistence between the refugees and their host communities. The festival also boosts the economy of refugees by transforming Dzaleka into a touristic destination, attracting thousands of domestic and international tourists to the camp.

Across the past ten years, over 230.000 people have attended the event, and 615 performing acts from 25 countries. The festival has gained national and international media coverage. It has so far achieved a media reach estimated at 61 million people worldwide.

Because of its uniqueness and impact, the Tumaini Festival has been recognized worldwide, being an Honorable Mention of the 2021 Global Pluralism Award, winning the 2020 Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy & Support, and the 2018 World Bank Africa Region's Social Inclusion Hero Award. The festival was also a finalist for the 2020 Ockenden International Prize and a finalist for the 2020 Elevate Prize. In 2019, Tumaini Letu was represented at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, of which its Founder was a Refugee Co-sponsor.

A huge thank you to Malawi Travel, WUSC- Malawi Canada, and the Segal Family Foundation for joining us in this incredible journey. Your support will help make this year's festival the best one yet as we continue to celebrate art and culture!

An Impression