LLF returns to Lahore’s Alhamra
The sixth annual edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) took place last month on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018, and Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 at the Alhamra Arts Center—featuring celebrities of both the literary sphere and the hallowed halls of Hollywood.
This year’s LLF celebrated the life of Pakistan’s irreplaceable warrior, Asma Jahangir (1952-2018) and honored her and her longtime colleague at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, I. A. Rehman, with lifetime achievement awards. Featuring a panel of family and friends—Ahmed Rashid, Lyse Doucet, Munizae Jahangir, I. A. Rehman, Salima Hashmi, Jilani Jahangir—the first session of the second day humanized the human rights icon and introduced fans and supporters to a lighter side of her life.
Like its five previous editions, the two-day event was free and open-to-all. It featured a host of celebrities, newsmakers, academics, and opinion leaders from across the world, including, among others, Riz Ahmed, Reza Aslan, Ben Okri, Shafaat Ali, Mark Leonard, Audrey Truschke, Irvine Welsh, Nadifa Mohamed, Kaya Genc, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, Sinan Antoon, Janne Teller, Ciler Ilhan, Sabyn Javeri, Melissa Chiu, Jessica Erin Jackley, Dr. Azra Raza, Sumayya Usmani, Hanan al-Shaykh, Shobhaa De.
The event was capped by a discussion on the works of Shakespeare with Zia Mohyeddin and a performance by Laal dedicated to the life and works of Asma Jahangir. The following photographs, featuring the work of Tapu Javeri, offer a brief glimpse of the two-day event.
With over 10,000 visitors over two days, many of LLF 2018’s panels delivered capacity crowds, with organizers restricting entry to some sessions over fire safety concerns
Columbia University’s Dr. Azra Raza, who gave the keynote address on the 'Power of Woke,' with LLF Director Nuscie Jamil and Asia Society’s Rachel Cooper
Sri Lanka’s Bhavani Fonseca and Ameena Hussain with LLF founder Razi Ahmed, and Maithree Wickramsinghe and Sunela Jayewardene
Religious studies scholar Reza Aslan was one of the featured guests at LLF 2018, attracting a capacity crowd for his Beyond Extremism panel with journalist Khaled Ahmed
Nasir Abbas Nayyar with Lucknow-based Anis Ashfaq and Masood Asher at the Khaab Saraab: Lucknow ki Tareekh panel
Emmy-winning actor Riz Ahmed with author Mohsin Hamid
An audience member asks a question during one of the panels of LLF 2018
Booker Prize-winner Ben Okri with Salman T. Kureshi
Journalist Hameed Haroon with Shahid Zahid
A scene from Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Center following day 1 of LLF 2018
Munizae Jahangir, Jilani Jahangir, Ahmed Rashid, Salima Hashmi, I.A. Rehman and Lyse Doucet at the Warrior Icon panel in memory of Asma Jahangir
Mark Leonard, Ben Okri, Ahmed Rashid and Reza Aslan at the opening session of LLF 2018
From our March 24-31, 2018 issue