Lahore Literary Festival in London shines light on arts and culture of Pakistan
Malala Yousufzai was the surprise turnout of the event as her participation was not announced
November 01, 2017
LONDON: The second edition of Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was a huge success this year as a large number of audience flocked to British Library to hear about Pakistan’s literature and culture during dozens of ticketed events packed in a day.
The day-long event consisted of sessions on literature, culture, food, art, politics and history from Pakistan and South Asia, followed by a musical performance with one of Pakistan's leading classical singers, Tina Sani.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousufzai was the surprise turnout of the event as her participation was not announced due to security reasons but she took part in discussions on Pakistan, made a speech and took questions from the audience.
The first panel explored inner city Lahore and how it has been a gateway city on strategic trading and pilgrims' routes, influencing different empires including Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities under the Raj and before partition. Prof Ian Talbot (Professor of Modern British history, formerly Head of History at the University of Southampton), Prof Tahir Kamran (Government College University) and Prof Yasmin Khan (Associate Professor at University of Oxford took part in discussions.
Kamila Shamsie, Mirza Waheed (Kashmiri journalist and author of two novels set in Kashmir), Tahmima Anam and BBC journalist Razia Iqbal held a panel on 1947 partition and how it affected lives of so many.
Muneeza Shamsie, Aamer Hussein and Prof Amina Yaqin (chair of the Centre for Contemporary Pakistan, SOAS) discussed history and rise of Pakistan's English fiction, memoirs, and poetry.
Madhur Jaffrey, Sumayya Usmani Prof Elizabeth Collingham spoke about cultural exchange and identity related to India and Pakistan.
Malala Yousafzai spoke as special guest at the festival and re-called that uncomplete journey to school in Swat which she never completed and ended up at a Birmingham hospital.
Sarfraz Manzoor spoke about British Muslim identity and how was it growing up in Luton in a Pakistani household and then discovery of his own life through music Bruce Springsteen.
Baroness Shreela Flather, Nayyar Ali Dada, Prof Sarah Ansari spoke about the transformation of Lahore and how during the Raj, figures such as Sir Ganga Ram had a vision of a flourishing modern city unbound by caste and colour and that same vision is being carried forward which can be witnessed in modern Lahore today.
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Christina Lamb and Owen Bennett-Jones examined Pakistan’s 70 years of independence.
Arfa Sayeda Zehra and Dr Asif Farrukhi talked about Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai (1915 – 91) and her importance.
Others who took part in various sessions included Prof Ashoke Chatterjee, Adeela Suleman, Prof Shehnaz Ismail, Prof Salima Hashmi, Shezad Dawood, Razi Ahmed and Aneela Shah.
The delegates of Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) were hosted over dinner at the Richmond home of former Punjab Assembly lawmaker and PMLN-UK leader Dr Ashraf Chohan. Leading British Pakistani and delegates of LLF were in attendance where diplomats from American embassy were also in attendance.
Syed Ibne Abbas, the High Commissioner, felicitated Razi Ahmad, Founder of LLF and his entire team on putting together the second edition of the LLF London. He said: “This is a commendable initiative that would not only showcase Pakistani literature, art and culture in the United Kingdom but would develop strong linkages between the literary circles of our two countries. The event is being held at the most opportune time when the overall environment for open public discourse in Pakistan is more enabling, thereby providing an opportunity to our great literary figures to contribute toward changing the perception of the country positively.”
Aneela Shah said that it's important to put on display Pakistan’s culture before the western world to reflect the reality of Pakistan. She said that millions of Pakistanis now live in the West and their connection with Pakistan is of high value.
Razi Ahmed remarked that attendance of a large number of audience in all sessions showed that there is so much keenness on knowing about Pakistan. He said that this year’s LLF was held in connection with Pakistan’s 70th Independence Anniversary. He announced that next year’s festival will be even bigger and will come up with new ideas and initiatives.
