A galaxy of 122 writers will honour the 2nd Islamabad Literature Festival - (ILF) on April 25-27. "After the success of the first ILF, Oxford University Press (OUP) is delighted to announce the second ILF dates and highlights," OUP Managing Director Ameena Saiyid OBE, and Dr Asif Farrukhi, the co-founders of the Karachi Literature Festival and the ILF said at a press conference here on Tuesday.
The first ILF, held last year, generated much interest and attracted a great deal of attention among the literary and intellectual communities in the country. People in Islamabad thronged to the ILF to meet authors and participate in over 60 interactive sessions.
Ameena Saiyid maintained that "through dialogue and discussion, readings and renderings, ILF intends to create an intellectual space in which the diversity and pluralism in Pakistan's society is expressed by authors from traditions both within and beyond Pakistan's borders. The Festival allows these writers to be freely accessible to people in an open and participatory manner."
Ameena Saiyid highlighted that the second ILF will feature talks/interviews, panel discussions, a mushaira, dastangoi, book fair, book launches, readings, author signings, a theatre play by NAPA, art sessions and exhibition by Art Now and My Art World and a photo exhibition by the Citizens Archives of Pakistan (CAP). Asif Farrukhi said, "Islamabad Literature Festival brings together writers and poets, scholars and academics from a diversity of languages, academic disciplines and intellectual traditions to create an opportunity for cultural exchange through celebration of writing and books."
Over 110 Pakistani authors, poets, and academics will grace the festival. Speakers from UK, Italy, India and Bangladesh will also be participating in the ILF. Zehra Nigah, Aamer Hussein, and Kishwar Naheed will be the keynote speakers at the ILF.-PR