Kolkata, Nov 25: Antonym Council of Global Arts and Literature (ACGAL), a platform dedicated to advancing translation, cross-cultural literary exchange and global creative dialogue, in collaboration with the Institute of Language Studies and Research (ILSR) and the Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC), will be hosting the forthcoming River of Words 2025 on 30th November, 2025 - a full day devoted to the power and possibilities of literary translation.

This year, the festival is set to unfold on its most ambitious scale yet - a full day dedicated to the transformative power of literary translation and the worlds it unlocks across languages, cultures and creative forms.

Imagined as a vibrant meeting ground for inspired minds, River of Words 2025 will welcome an exciting constellation of authors, translators, illustrators, scholars, theatre and film makers, publishing professionals, educators, students and passionate readers. At its core, the festival invites deeper conversations about how stories shift as they move between languages, how silence becomes a form of expression and how words transform into images - all reflecting the many creative pathways explored throughout the day.

“Our vision for River of Words was to craft a gathering where people from different linguistic, artistic and educational backgrounds could come together in one shared space. The festival celebrates not only the craft of translation but the community it creates - the readers who open themselves to new worlds, the translators who mediate those worlds, the artists and performers who reimagine them and the young minds who will shape the next chapter of our literary landscape. We believe that when stories move between languages, they bring with them new insights, new emotions and new connections. River of Words is an attempt to honour that movement and to encourage conversations that continue beyond the day itself” said

Ms Chaiti Mitra, Director, River of Words 2025.

Across multiple spaces at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity, the festival will offer a dynamic mix of panel discussions, book launches, performances, interactive workshops, book club gatherings, artistic showcases and youth-focused activities. The day will touch on themes ranging from the evolving world of children’s nonfiction and the nuances of feminist writing to the global travels of Indian short stories, the craft of translating novels and the many ways narratives take on new life when adapted into theatre, comics or visual form.

This year’s edition will be welcoming several distinguished delegates whose work has shaped contemporary literature and translation, including International Booker Prize-winning translator and writer Ms Deepa Bhasthi and Mr Kanishka Gupta, founder of Writer’s Side Literary Agency, whose authors have secured major global honours. They join leading voices from the Antonym Council of Global Arts and Literature (ACGAL) such as Mr Biswadip Chakraborty, Founding Director of the Antonym Council of Global Arts and Literature (ACGAL), ACGAL Directors and translators Dr. Chaiti Mitra and Ms Kathakali Jana, and Ms Bishnupriya Chowdhury, Chief Editor of Antonym Collections and ALTA Fellow - collectively bringing a rich spectrum of experience that reflects the festival’s commitment to championing translation and fostering new literary conversations.

Another key highlight of the festival will be the launch of The Paper Planes Journal, a new English language magazine for young readers by Antonym Collections, marking an exciting addition to their growing translation-focused initiatives.

“This magazine is for all curious people aged ten and above, and travels across borders bringing together a variety of writings across languages and cultures. There are stories, poems, graphic narratives, and a range of non-fiction, starting from segments on travel and food to writings on art and music! It is not just planned for young readers but it is also substantially written by them. Finally, it is a fully illustrated volume for we believe in the power of pictures” said Dr. Gargi Gangopadhyay, Editor-in-Chief and Art Director of the magazine.The publication will be formally unveiled at River of Words 2025.

Staying true to its commitment to nurturing new talent, the festival will offer students, young creators and educators’ meaningful opportunities to learn directly from practitioners through hands-on sessions. The event will also mark the launch of the first-ever Publication Grant for Student Translators a milestone initiative designed to champion and support the next generation of literary voices.

River of Words 2025 will also highlight conversations around the changing realities of the creative world, including the role of technology and AI in the literary ecosystem and the growing enthusiasm for translated stories across audiences. A dedicated exhibition and a special translation-focused bookstore will celebrate the remarkable contributions of translators and independent publishers.

River of Words 2025 welcomes everyone who believes in the power of stories - across languages, across borders, and across generations.