Irina Felten launcher her latest book, about the time she spent with her husband Peter Felten in Portugal. Mr Pelten is currently the deputy head of mission at the German embassy in Islamabad.

“My book about Portugal is in German, and it tells everyday stories about how it is to be a diplomat’s wife in Lisbon. And through that, I hope it can help us all live better together, too, as we reflect on common humanity in small and big things,” she said.

A few days later, on National Book Day, which was marked at the Pak-China Friendship Centre, it was Charge D’Affaires Joao Paulo Sabido Costa’s turn to present Portuguese poetry – translated into Urdu – to Pakistan.

At another session, Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen was celebrated with readings in English followed by Edvard Grieg’s music to ‘Peer Gynt’. The event was organised by the Pakistan-Norway Association, and featured Dr Barbara Ayisha Mustafa, Khalida Babree and Lynley Ruth Butt.

A guest said she was pleased to attend the session, adding: “We all read books in English and can easily forget about the richness of literature in other languages, and we need more translations. Very few would have known Ibsen’s work, written in Danish-Norwegian, if he had not been translated into other languages. His play ‘A Doll’s House’ is now said to be one of the most often staged plays in the world, performed in a myriad of languages.”

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2016