The highly anticipated Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) commenced its thirteenth edition at the Alhamra Art Centre on Friday, with a central focus on the theme of enlightenment. The three-day event, which attracts renowned writers and scholars from twelve countries, promises a rich tapestry of discussions and cultural exchanges.
Inaugurating the festival, historian Ayesha Jalal, known for her influential work “Muslim Enlightened Thought in South Asia,” delivered the keynote address alongside Mary Richardson, a history professor at Tufts University. Their discourse paved the way for a session on historical methodologies, featuring insights from Spanish historian Eduardo Manzano Moreno and Middle East cultural writer Diana Darke, moderated by BBC journalist Mishal Husain.
Razi Ahmed, CEO of the LLF, highlighted that this year’s theme, inspired by Jalal’s book, aims to explore the intersection of literature and history and how enlightenment can counteract bigotry. The festival will host sessions dedicated to Punjabi and Urdu literature, featuring esteemed poets like Iftikhar Arif and Fatima Hasan, and include an Urdu mushaira to celebrate the rich traditions of Urdu poetry.
Additionally, the festival will spotlight Pakistani architecture, focusing on urban solutions for Lahore. A diverse array of sessions, running concurrently until Sunday, will include a reading circle supported by the British Council.
Ahmed emphasized the LLF’s role in fostering a culture of reading among young people, enhancing their understanding of global literary traditions and cultural perspectives, and contributing to Lahore’s recognition as a UNESCO City of Literature.
The festival’s roster includes prominent figures such as BBC journalist Mishal Husain, art historians F.S. Aijazuddin and Susan Stronge, and French novelist Lyane Guillaume. Writers from different cultural backgrounds will share their experiences of key cities, with contributions from Berlin-based David Wagner, Greek fiction writer Sofka Zinovieff, and Pakistani novelists Mohsin Hamid and Osama Siddique.
Environmental discussions, a pressing global issue, will feature feminist climate justice and sustainable living themes, with contributions from activists like Nadia Jamil and Samiya Mumtaz. Azza El-Hassan, a Palestinian media professor, will discuss the impact of colonial violence on visual culture.
The festival also includes dedicated sessions on Punjabi literature with participants such as Nain Sukh and Zubair Ahmed, and Urdu literature sessions featuring Nasir Abbas Nayyar and Nomanul Haq. Women writers in Urdu literature will be highlighted, with contributions from Noorul Huda Shah and Yasmeen Hammed.
As the LLF continues to celebrate literature and culture, it remains an influential platform for dialogue, creativity, and enlightenment, drawing audiences from varied walks of life to engage in meaningful conversations.
