Miss Literature Senegal 2026: 31 candidates win their ticket for the semi-finals

The Miss Literature Senegal (MLS) competition continues its journey. At the end of the regional preselections organized on June 6, 2026 in eight regions of the country, 31 candidates were selected for the semi-final of this second edition. According to the organizing committee, this decisive stage will be held on October 7, 2026.

The events took place simultaneously in Dakar, Matam, Thiès, Louga, Ziguinchor, Kédougou, Tambacounda and Kaolack. This year, the candidates were evaluated based on the work The Sun in the Belly of Mamadou Camara, published in 2024. The choice of this novel aims to pay tribute to its author who died in June 2025 and to “highlight his work, perpetuate his memory and highlight the richness of Senegalese literary heritage”.

In total, 104 candidates registered for this second edition. Among them, 78 actually took part in the tests, while 26 absences were recorded. The participants were subjected to written and oral tests intended to assess their literary culture as well as their oral expression skills. “The selected candidates stood out for the quality of their services and their mastery of the themes covered,” underlines the press release.

The selection process was supervised nationally by André Mari Diagne, professor of literature and president of the national selection jury. The organizing committee also welcomed the involvement of the Ministry of National Education, academy inspections, French teachers and volunteers mobilized in the different regions.

Dakar comes first with eight qualified candidates, followed by Thiès with five representatives. Matam and Kaolack each have four qualifiers, while Kédougou, Tambacounda, Louga and Ziguinchor complete the list of semi-finalists. Among the selected candidates are Fatou Bintou Sène, first in Dakar, Dieynaba Ba in Matam, Ndeye Khady Diongue in Kaolack, Khadidiatou Kane in Thiès, Niama Soumaré in Kédougou, Saphiétou Goudiaby in Tambacounda and Oumou Sabaly in Ziguinchor.

In its press release, the organizing committee sent its “congratulations to all the candidates for their commitment and their participation in this second edition of Miss Literature Senegal”, while welcoming the public for the rest of the competition scheduled for next October.

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