ISLAMABAD: The sixth edition of the Islamabad Literature festival (ILF) featuring a galaxy of writers, intellectuals, poets, diplomats and artists opened at the Margalla Hotel on Friday with an emphasis on freedom of expression, tolerance and promotion of peace and tolerance in the country and beyond.

The mega literary and cultural event is being organised by Oxford University Press.

French Ambassador Dr Marc Barety spoke about the importance of literature and the theme of this year ‘Focusing on future reflecting on the past’.Mr Marc appreciated the organisers for making freedom, peace and understanding as the opening theme of the festival.

According to the ambassador, freedom of expression is essential and has been celebrated by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his speech about the freedom of the press.

He also mentioned the contribution of Pakistani writer and translator Laeeq Babri in translating the works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Allama Iqbal into French.

British Council deputy director Mark Crossey spoke about the symbiotic partnership between Pakistan and his organisation. For him there is no other area or thing except literature which brings people closure. He also mentioned about the partnership between British Council and the literature festival for the last six years.

Number of writers and artists attend opening ceremony

Noted poet and chairman of the National Language Promotion Department Iftikhar Arif and Muneeza Shamsie, members of the ILF Advisory Board, also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Arif said he was biased in his stance and always sided with oppressed people and expected all the writers and the audience to speak about the plight of the Kashmiris.

He emphasised the importance of the indigenous culture, language and said, “no one can become universal without being rooted in local culture.

Haseena Moin and Navid Shahzad, in their keynote speeches, highlighted the decline in reading culture, quality of language and onslaught of digital technology and electronic media on all spheres of life.

Dr Shahzad mentioned the quotes of Turkish poet Nazim Hikmat who impacted the modern Turkish literature with distinctive socialist approach reducing the formal structural form. She likened him to Faiz Ahmed Faiz. “Both were contemporary poets and wrote about their love for the beauty of their respective countries, the frustration and paralysing despair,” she said.Earlier in his welcome address, Oxford University Press Managing Director Arshad Saeed Hussain said the capital city had a distinct cultural flavour with the 6th Islamabad Literature Festival. He said the festival was launched in 2013 “as an act of defiance against the forces of bigotry, violence and repression, which were then threatening to overwhelm literary and cultural expression”.

On the first day, two performances proved to be huge crowd pullers.One was a classical dance performance An and Tandav (peace and understanding) by Iftikhar Masih with background singing by political activist Ammar Rasheed.

Another important item, a stage play 22 Crore by Lahore-based theatre group Laal Hartal, was a tribute to revolutionary poet Habib Jalib. Hina Rabbani Khar, Athar Abbas and Arif Kamal held a discussion on the topic ‘Kashmir: The Valley Seized’, which was moderated by Ikram Sehgal.

The book, The Begum: A Portrait of Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, written by Deepa Agarwal and Tahmina Aziz, was launched at the event. The launch featured a panel discussion in which Tahmina Aziz, Samia Liaquat Ali Khan and Amir Rana participated. It was moderated by Muneeza Shamsie.

Jahan-i-Sufi, a fusion of folk and qawwali, was presented by the Bakhshi Brothers on the first evening.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2019