Egypt’s Diwan Brings Arab Literature Closer to Canadian Readers

A new literary destination celebrating Arab voices, diasporic perspectives, and stories from across the Global South has officially launched in Canada. 

Diwan Canada has opened its online bookstore, introducing readers to a carefully curated and growing collection of books that brings together diverse voices, cultures, and ideas.

Available in Arabic, English, and French, the collection features literature and poetry alongside feminist writing, Indigenous perspectives, Black liberation, and radical thought. 

Bringing together authors and thinkers from across the Arab world, the wider Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region, their diasporas, and the Global South, Diwan Canada aims to make space for stories and perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream literary spaces.

The online launch marks the first step in a broader vision for the bookstore. Diwan Canada is now shipping across Canada and the United States, with plans to open a physical bookshop in Montreal in 2027, creating a dedicated space for readers to discover, explore and engage with its collection.

To celebrate its launch, the bookstore is offering a 10 per cent discount on first purchases for readers who subscribe to its mailing list.

Founded in Cairo in 2002, Diwan Bookstore began as an ambitious vision to transform the way people discover, experience, and engage with books and culture. Established by sisters Nadia and Hind Wassef, alongside their friend Nihal Schawky, Diwan opened its first flagship bookstore in Zamalek on March 8, 2002, coinciding with International Women’s Day. 

At a time when traditional bookshops in Egypt offered relatively limited and conventional reading experiences, Diwan introduced a new concept, opening a multilingual bookstore that brought together Arabic, English, and international literature, alongside music, art, children’s books, and cultural events.