The Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) is all set to celebrate its milestone 10th edition this year from 1-3 March 2019, having 'The Focus is Tomorrow,' as the festival theme. Arshad Saeed Husain, Managing Director, Oxford University Press (OUP), shared details of the 10th KLF in a press conference held at the Arts Council of Pakistan here on Thursday. He said that over 235 speakers and authors from Pakistan, UK, USA, Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, UAE, India, and Canada will participate in the event. Around 20 book launches are planned this year which will be a highlight for book lovers.
There will be over 80 sessions, representing 13 languages, featuring talks/interviews, panel discussions, Urdu Mushaira, English poetry readings, satire, performing arts, and film screenings.
The KLF-Infaq Foundation Urdu Literature Prize will be awarded to the best book of prose or poetry in Urdu published during 2017-18. The entries received will be evaluated by a panel of jury members comprising eminent critics and writers.
Speaking on the occasion, Arshad Saeed Husain said, "The 10th KLF will feature literary works and poetry, the fine arts, culture, and the performing arts. We aim to bring together not only the stalwarts of Pakistan's literary world and academia, but also some of the most creative minds beyond Pakistan's border." He further added, "KLF is the mother of all literature festivals as it has inspired literary activities to flourish, spawning other such festivals celebrating the written word in different cities across Pakistan. Through discourses and discussions, the festival celebrates cultural and linguistic diversity. KLF is not just a festival but a social movement inspiring our youth and the literati to embrace it and spread this light further."
Anita M Weiss, Anna Suvorova, Bettina Robotka, David Waterman, Deborah Baker, Elena Nicolai, Leila Aboulela, Mona Eltahawy, and Wendy Marijnissen are some of the international authors participating in the festival. The local literary luminaries, academics, and intellectuals to be featured in the 10th KLF include Amin Gulgee, Anwar Maqsood, Attiya Dawood, H M Naqvi, Hafeez Pasha, Harris Khalique, I A Rehman, Iftikhar Arif, Ishrat Husain, Kishwar Naheed, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, Niilofur Farrukh, Sabyn Javeri, Sania Nishtar, Sardar Masood Khan, Shafqat Ali Shah Jamote, Sheema Kermani, Zehra Nigah, and Zia Mohyeddin.