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Aman Ki Asha Page Published in The News
Aman Ki Asha Page Published in The News
W
By Sehyr Mirza
Literature
festivals on both
sides of the
border draw
similar crowds.
The best part is
they bring at
least some
Indians and
Pakistanis
together
Shabana Azmi and Salima Hashmi: with moderator Ali Husain Mir. Photo: JLF
Road to normalisation?
Vishal Bhardwaj. He is confident of this because the people on both sides are the
same.
Shobhaa De stresses the
importance of cultural and
student exchange programs
to foster mutual understanding and bridge the gap between people of both nations.
After a brief stay in Mumbai, I return to Lahore in time
to participate in the Lahore
Literary Festival (LLF), Feb
Kamila Shamsie (right): with panellists Damon Galgut and Eleanor Catton. Photo: JLF
20-22. I see the same festive
atmosphere in Lahore as in
Jaipur but on a slightly
smaller scale. Participants at
both festivals cut across generation and class, with not
only the youth but people
from all age groups participating.
I am also struck by the
similarity of those on both
sides for whom literature
seems to hold little appeal
than either engaging in trivial
debates or clicking selfies.
However, there is also a visible renewed interest in purchasing novels, short stories
and poetry collections in regional or international languages, that reflects a positive change in the reading
habits.
Since the first JLF in 2006,
many cities across South Asia
have started their own literary festivals or lit fests in
Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. In Lahore this year,
there is a plethora of speakers from India, including
celebrities
like
actor
Naseerudin Shah, historian
Romila Thapar, and journalists like Rahul Singh, Shekhar
Destination Peace: A commitment by the Jang Group, Geo and The Times of India Group to
create an enabling environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together,
contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between our countries.