15th Karachi Literature Festival (The Crystal Edition) Celebrated for Intellectual and Cultural Exchange
For its fifteenth year, Pakistan’s most anticipated cultural event, the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), is all set to shine again in Karachi, Sindh. The festival is set to take place at the esteemed Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi on February 16–18, 2024, and is expected to be a lively celebration of literature, art, and thought-provoking conversation.
The 15th KLF, with the theme “Sustainability: Words changing Mindsets,” will include more than 200 national and international speakers from 8 different countries who will participate in 75 sessions addressing a wide range of subjects, including current affairs, education, the environment, literature, and the economy. In addition, visitors may anticipate 25 book releases in addition to entertaining events including satire, theater, film screenings, and exhibitions.
The public is welcome to attend the inaugural event on Friday, February 16th. Notable speakers will include British-Palestinian writer and lawyer Selma Dabbagh and Pakistani architect and activist Arif Hasan. Nighat Choudhry, a gifted poet, will then perform Faiz’s poetry.
The Jordanian academic Joseph Massad, the political scientist Dr. Martin Axmann, the award-winning journalist Hasnain Kazim, the renowned novelist and writer Mohsin Hamid, the French journalist and novelist Kenize Mourad, the fiction writer Claire Chambers, the poets Michael Cirelli and Ronya Othman, the poets Zehra Nigah and Kishwar Naheed, the writer of short stories Noorul Huda Shah, and the novelist Bina Shah are just a few of the notable speakers that KLF will be hosting over the weekend. Sessions on political reforms, sustainability, Urdu poetry, and a big Mushaira were presided over by Iftikhar Arif, the legend.
KLF programs will provide guests with a rich tapestry of intellectual engagement through incisive talks on books, ethical governance, urban dynamics, comedy, storytelling, human rights, and sustainability. There will be a book launch for Maleeha Lodhi’s eagerly anticipated book, “Pakistan: Search for Stability,” which is published by OUP.
In a session suitably named “Noor Jahan Suroor Jahan,” Nazia Ejaz Khan, Salima Hashmi, and Ahmed Ali Butt pay particular tribute to the famous Madam Noor Jehan. “Sustainability and the Evolving New World Order,” a different seminar, will discuss concepts that are stable, inclusive, and advantageous to everyone.
Eminent scholars Najeeba Arif and Joseph Massad will deliver keynote addresses to commemorate KLF literary luminaries as the Crystal Edition celebrations come to an end. Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers will next conduct a soul-stirring Sufi Qawwali performance.
Arshad Saeed Husain, Managing Director of OUP Pakistan, highlighted the festival’s function as a worldwide bridge uniting minds and hearts and urged attendees to engage in discussions that provoke thought and inspire change. “The idea is to deliberate on finding solutions, not just to talk about these important issues,” he stated. I hope that’s what these three days of intellectual, scholarly, and thought leadership will be all about. The strength of the written word and its essential role in forming our communities are demonstrated by this festival.
“This is the second year in a row that HBL is leading the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), a celebration of intellectual and cultural pursuits,” said Ali Habib, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer of HBL. At HBL, we firmly believe that impact and sustainability in the areas we serve are correlated with a developing economy, a vibrant community, and a sustainable natural environment. Our dedication to being “more than just a bank” is demonstrated by our involvement in Pakistan’s social uplift through initiatives like KLF.
The organisers of the festival would like to express their gratitude to Habib Bank Ltd. (HBL), the title sponsor, for their kind support. They also acknowledge the contributions from Getz Pharma, NEO Paints, the British Council, the US Consulate and Lincoln’s Corner, Goethe Institut, NBP Funds, UBL Funds, and Tapal. We extend our sincere gratitude to SMS Security for their ongoing collaboration in upholding KLF’s reputation as Pakistan’s leading forum for intellectual and cultural interchange. The festival, which is organized by Oxford University Pakistan (OUP), is still committed to presenting the wide range of variety found in Pakistani society.
In order to celebrate the transformational power of words and foster a better appreciation for literature, the Karachi Literature Festival extends an invitation to all enthusiasts to join them on this intellectual adventure.
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