LAHORE – Lahore’s landmark literary event ‘Lahore Literary Festival’ kicked off in the provincial capital despite all odds here on Saturday.
Lahori’s who have been under a constant security threat from last week rushed to catch a glimpse of what’s going on in the literary world, sending a vibrant message to extremist elements.
LLF was originally supposed to be a three-day event that was due to be held at AlHamra Arts Council. The schedule was reduced to two days due to security clearance issues, however, unfortunately, the event is now a single-day show at Faletti’s hotel.
According to a statement by Razi Ahmed, founder and CEO of LLF, posted on the website: “The revised, robust program celebrates the written word, the arts, and activism from Pakistan and abroad. We are certain Lahore’s audiences will be thrilled with our latest edition.”
The revised lineup includes two talks by Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin, as well as sessions by Najam Sethi, former Pakistani actress Shabnam Ghosh, director Sarmad Khoosat, Dr. Adeeb Rizvi, Mohsin Hamid, Kamila Shamsie, Ayesha Jalal, historian William Dalrymple, Tehmina Durrani and Rameeza Nizami.
The detailed schedule is as under:
LLF2017 Program by Fasih Ahmed on Scribd
The Lahore Literary Festival is the city’s premier free-to-public cultural event. Founded in 2012, the LLF aims to bring together, discuss, and celebrate the diverse and pluralistic literary traditions of Lahore—a city of the arts, activism, and big ideas. Considered the top literary and cultural event in Pakistan, the LLF traditionally features discussions on a variety of subjects including fiction and nonfiction writing, music, painting, filmmaking, architecture and politics, attracting top local as well as international names. Previous editions have featured Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah and wife Ratna Pathak Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan, C.M. Naim, Madhur Jaffrey, Joe Sacco, Hina Rabbani Khar, Asma Jahangir, cricket writers Peter Oborne and Osman Samiuddin and Indian columnist and novelist Shobha De.
Considered the top literary and cultural event in Pakistan, the LLF traditionally features discussions on a variety of subjects including fiction and nonfiction writing, music, painting, filmmaking, architecture and politics, attracting top local as well as international names. Previous editions have featured Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah and wife Ratna Pathak Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan, C.M. Naim, Madhur Jaffrey, Joe Sacco, Hina Rabbani Khar, Asma Jahangir, cricket writers Peter Oborne and Osman Samiuddin and Indian columnist and novelist Shobha De.
Previous editions have featured Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah and wife Ratna Pathak Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan, C.M. Naim, Madhur Jaffrey, Joe Sacco, Hina Rabbani Khar, Asma Jahangir, cricket writers Peter Oborne and Osman Samiuddin and Indian columnist and novelist Shobha De.
