A relatively new country with ancient cultural traditions, Pakistan is often described as being on the crossroads of significant socio-political changes. The Karachi Literature Festival is a reflection of Pakistan’s historical roots as expressed in a multiplicity of languages and in various forms of writing.
The Karachi Literature Festival was conceived jointly by the British Council (BC) and the Oxford University Press (OUP) as an opportunity to revive the literary and intellectual spirit of Pakistan. The festival has been held three times since its debut in 2010. A first ever event of its kind in Pakistan, it has not only brought together some of the country’s finest literary talents but also writers, poets and cultural figures from world over.
The third Karachi Literature Festival was held on 11 and 12 February 2012 with a wider scope and grander scale. According to a rough estimate, the 2-day festival was attended over 15,000 people and thousand others around the world enjoyed it live on the internet.
This time the festival raised the bar for itself not only in terms of people’s participation but also in terms of the number of authors and participants attending from across Pakistan, UK, India, Bangladesh, US, Germany and France. According to the February 12, 2012 edition of daily Dawn, Pakistan’s largest English language newspaper, “If 2011 was the year the festival first made a name for itself, this is the year it became bigger and flashier”.
The festival featured prominent Pakistani and International writers, thought provoking panel discussions, conversations, a variety of workshops, performances, activities for children and much more.
In addition to prolific authors from the world over, British Council also played host to authors, William Dalrymple, Hanif Kureishi and Anatol Lieven from the UK for the festival, who were received with enthusiasm and love by thousands of their fans during the festival.
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