Karachi Literature Festival
| Karachi Literature Festival | |
|---|---|
| Status | active |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Carton Hotel (2010 - 2012) Beach Luxury Hotel (2013[1] - present) |
| Location(s) | Karachi |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Years active | 2010-present |
| Inaugurated | 2010 |
| Founder | Oxford University Press Pakistan |
| Most recent | 1 - 3 March 2019 |
| Attendance | approx. 5,000 (2010) 10,000 (2011) 15,000 (2012) 50,000 (2013) 70,000 (2014) |
| Organised by | Oxford University Press |
| Website | www |
Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) is an annual international literary festival held in Karachi, Pakistan. It is the first festival of its kind in the country. It is one of the world's youngest and fastest growing literary festivals. Till 2019, ten editions of this festival have been held.
About Karachi Literature Festival
The First Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) was organised by Oxford University Press Pakistan in collaboration with British Council on March 2010. Inspired by the success of the first two KLFs (2010 and 2011), the Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) was launched at the end of 2011. Thus the momentum that began in Pakistan with KLF leading, also saw the Islamabad Literature Festival (ILF) being launched in 2013, further followed by the Teachers’ Literature Festival in 2014, and many others following their example. This momentum reflects the depth of Pakistan’s literary and cultural roots, and the desire and energy to celebrate the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and creativity. In celebration of Pakistan’s 70th birthday, and for the first time, KLF was held outside Pakistan, in London, in May 2017 at the Southbank Centre as part of the Alchemy Festival, in partnership with Oxford University Press Pakistan, the Southbank Centre, Rukhsana Ahmed, and Bloombsbury Pakistan (whose KLF London team were Nadir Cheema, Nigham Shahid and Tariq Suleman).
Organisers
It is organised by Oxford University Press, Pakistan.
Mission
KLF seeks to create an intellectual space in which the diversity and pluralism in Pakistan’s society and this is expressed by the authors from literary and cultural traditions beyond Pakistan’s borders are freely accessible to people in an open and participatory manner.
Objectives
- To represent intellectual traditions and cultural diversity through languages and academic disciplines.
- To create a forum for intellectual dialogue and inter-cultural harmony through celebration of writing, publications, and performing arts.
- To provide opportunities through which the world can see and connect with the literature, culture, and social ethos of Pakistan, and from which Pakistan can encounter what is happening in the world.
- To promote artistic expression and emerging Pakistani and international literary talent
- To encourage counter narratives, cross-pollination of ideas, and apolitical views
- To reclaim public space in Karachi for literary and cultural exchanges
Format
The festival consists of literary discussions, book launches, and creative writing workshops. There is also an opportunity to meet authors, book signings and visit a book fair.
Dates
- 2010: March: 20 & 21
- 2011: February: 5 & 6
- 2012: February: 11 & 12
- 2013: February: 15, 16 & 17
- 2014: February: 7, 8 & 9
- 2015: February: 6, 7 & 8
- 2016: February: 5, 6 & 7
- 2017: February: 10, 11 & 12
- 2018: February: 9, 10 & 11
- 2019: March: 1, 2 & 3
Award
In 2011, the festival organisers announced the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) Prize for Best Non-Fiction Book in English. The book has to have been published in the preceding year. The award carries a monetary award of Rs. 100,000.
2011
- Jury: Zubeida Mustafa, Ghazi Salahuddin and Dr Jaffer Ahmad.
- Winner: ‘The Culture of Power and Governance of Pakistan (1947-2008)’ by Ilhan Niaz[2] Published by: Oxford University Press, Karachi 2010.
First Festival
The inaugural event was held on 20 March 2010. Amongst the writers who participated were: Aamer Hussein; Mohammad Hanif; Mohsin Hamid; Samina Quraeshi, Fahmida Riaz and Bapsi Sidhwa.[3]
Second Festival
This year's festival participants included: Aamer Hussein; Mohammad Hanif; Mohsin Hamid; Sara Suleri; Tahira Abdullah; Muneeza Shamsie; Noorjehan Bilgrami; Bina Shah; Zahida Hina; Kamila Shamsie; Anita Ghulam Ali; Daniyal Mueenuddin; Yasmeen Hameed; Maleeha Lodhi, Ayesha Siddiqa; Kishwar Naheed; Asif Noorani; Sheema Kirmani; Madeeha Gauhar; Intiaz Hussain; Zehra Nigah; H. M. Naqvi; Ali Sethi; Amjad Islam Amjad; Hassan Dars; Ali Akbar Natiq; Mudassar Bashir; Attiya Dawood and Jean-Luc Racine The plenary session was by Karen Armstrong.
With 2011 declared Year of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the festival paid tribute to him. The poet's grandson, Ali Madeeh Hashmi, talked about him as did Zehra Nigah and Ali Sethi. The band Laal closed out the festivities.
See also
References
- ^ Karachi Literature Festival begins today Peerzada Salman, February 15, 2013. Retrieved 08 february 2016
- ^ With a bang, not a whimper the Karachi Literature Festival comes to a Express Tribune 7 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011
- ^ 1st Karachi Literature Festival All Things Pakistan 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011