14–15 August 2026 · Kuala Lumpur

WoW-KL 2026

A two-day Festival of Reading bringing together authors, educators, cultural voices, students, book communities and thought leaders to explore reading with purpose.

Register Interest View Programme
What to expect

A sharper continuation of the movement.

The 2026 edition expands the movement through forums, creative performances, student participation, international voices, literary communities and the WoW-KL Awards.

Read to Lead

How reading shapes leadership, decision-making, public life and professional growth.

Read to Heal

How books and stories support emotional resilience, empathy and personal meaning.

Read to Build

How reading communities are built through schools, universities, book clubs, families and institutions.

Programme overview

Two days of reading, ideas and culture.

This overview provides the key flow. Timings may be refined as speakers and protocol arrangements are finalised.

Day 1 · Friday, 14 August 2026

Theme direction: Read to Lead / Read to Inspire
8:30 am
Registration Opens
9:00 am
Festival Opening
9:20 am
Entertainment Prelude: Words Come Alive
9:20 am
Storytelling Performance by Shanthini Venugopal
10:15 – 11:15 am
Forum 1 · Stories Shape Us: How Reading Builds Imagination and Creativity
11:15 – 11:30 am
Morning Tea Break
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Forum 2 · The Power of Words in Changing Society
12:45 – 2:00 pm
Lunch & Networking
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Forum 3 · When Ideas Are Restricted — What Happens to a Society?
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Entertainment Segment 2
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Afternoon Tea Break
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Forum 4 · Readers Together: How Book Clubs Build Reading Cultures
5:00 pm
Closing Reflections Day 1
5:30 pm
End of Day 1

Day 2 · Saturday, 15 August 2026

Theme direction: Read to Build / Read to Heal
9:00 am
Registration / Arrival
9:20 am
Seating / Recap Highlights
9:15 – 10:15 am
Forum 5 · Read to Lead: How Reading Shapes Leadership and Society
10:15 – 10:45 am
Morning Tea Break
10:45 – 11:45 am
Forum 6 · Reading Without Borders: How Nations Build Reading Cultures
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Forum 7 · Voices of the Next Generation
12:45 – 2:00 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
Arrival of Guests
2:20 pm
Seating & Opening Montage
2:30 pm
Opening of Awards Ceremony
2:35 pm
Welcome Remarks
2:45 – 3:10 pm
Awards Segment 1
3:10 – 3:20 pm
Entertainment Segment: Voices in Harmony – Musical Performance by D K Dev
3:20 – 3:35 pm
WoW-KL: The Year That Was
3:35 – 4:00 pm
Awards Segment 2
4:00 – 4:15 pm
Entertainment Segment: Stories on Stage – Special Skit Performance
4:15 – 4:35 pm
Awards Segment 3
4:35 – 4:45 pm
Reading Pledge / Commitment Moment
4:45 – 5:00 pm
Closing Address
5:00 - 5:15 pm
Group Photo / Networking
5:15 pm
End of Festival
Forums

The conversations at the heart of WoW-KL 2026.

Each forum brings together moderators and panellists from literature, education, culture, media, leadership, book communities and youth voices.

Speakers and panellists

Meet the voices shaping the programme.

Click any profile to view a short bio. More profiles can be added as speaker confirmations are completed.

WoW-KL Awards

Celebrating people and organisations building reading culture.

The WoW-KL Awards recognise meaningful contributions to reading, writing, publishing, education, book communities and literary culture.

View Awards Page
Attend / participate

Be part of WoW-KL 2026.

Register your interest as an individual, school, university, organisation, sponsor, volunteer or community supporter.

Join the Movement