WITH the cold of winter starting to recede and the freshness of spring already in the air, it is time again for our annual literary festivals. Coinciding roughly with the season of birth and rejuvenation, these festivals have become an important feature in the calendar, bringing together curious minds from across the country and abroad for a few days of enlightening discussions, impassioned debates and thoughtful recollections. One of these, the Pakistan Literature Festival, is already underway at Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Centre. The three-day festival was billed as featuring more than 50 sessions on entertainment, comedy, music and dance, as well as book launches and discussions headlined by notable artists and intellectuals. It kicked off on Friday with a warm welcome by Lahore’s spirited locals. Today (Sunday), the Faiz Aman Mela was slated to begin in the afternoon at the Cosmo Club at Lahore’s Bagh-i-Jinnah. Attendees can expect to be treated to musical performances, poetry, political debates, theatrical performances and dance at the mela, which incorporates a call to hope, ie, ‘Umeed-i-sehar ki baat suno’. The Faiz Mela has been held each year to commemorate the birth of revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Also today, the Citizens Archive of Pakistan is holding the CAP Carnival 2023 at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi, with an exhibition from its archives, a craft bazaar and other fun activities. The next weekend, the 14th Karachi Literature Festival is expected to draw literati and enthusiasts to the same venue for a three-day event centred on the theme of ‘People, Planet and Possibilities’. The weekend after, the Lahore Literary Festival will open its doors at the Alhamra Arts Centre. This is not by any means an exhaustive list of all the cultural and social events taking place across the country. There are concerts, melas and conferences, big and small, scheduled in most major cities to engage the Pakistani citizenry and indulge their varying tastes. As the country gradually shrugs off its winter stupor, what better way could there be to re-energise than to engage with each other over our shared culture and to interact with some of the brightest minds of our times through these various festivals? With the country at an unprecedented crossroads in its history, these platforms can provide spaces where we can reimagine our collective future by sharing our different perspectives and ideas.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023