Over the course of three days, Feb. 6-8, the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) returned to the Alhamra Arts Center, heralding the return of spring—this time with Basant accompanying it for a weekend full of festivities.
The fresh spring air carried a palpable tinge of excitement, with clear, blue skies filled with vibrant kites. On the ground, the LLF boasted the cultural exchange it has become synonymous with, as more than 100 delegates from both Pakistan and abroad gathered before appreciative audiences.
Working with the organizers of this year’s LLF, I saw firsthand the excitement among both the delegates and the audience. The first day welcomed visitors to Alhamra with a brilliant presentation by esteemed historian Robin Lane Fox, who gave a keynote address on Alexander the Great. Upon its conclusion, the event began in earnest, with four simultaneous panels underway every hour, leaving the audiences spoilt for choice. Whether ancient Egyptians, Pakistani culture, or global affairs, the first day’s sessions had something for everyone. The day concluded with a Punjabi mushaira, as well as a film screening, and a retrospective on the career of Urdu language humorist Patras Bokhari.
The second day of the festival likewise started with sessions in both Urdu and English, with topics ranging from cooking to ancient trade routes, and cultural conservation. The very first session of the day featured a sitar performance, setting the stage for a day full of thoughtful conversation and debate. A particular highlight was the “Immersive Writing” panel, which featured Pakistani and foreign authors weighing in on exploring displacement and travel through their writings. Another panel highlighting poetry from Pakistan’s Youth Poet Laureate Program also attracted an appreciative audience, eager to hear poems penned by up-and-coming writers.
The third and final day of LLF2026 continued the trend set by the first two days, with the first sessions of the day including a panel on the decreasing space for dissent, as well as a panel on what it takes to translate a book from Urdu to English. Additionally, the final day of this year’s LLF saw a French ambassador making the case for recognizing gender apartheid as a legal term and a spirited discussion on the detritus of the collapse of the British Empire. Dhaka-based entrepreneur Saiful Islam regaled audiences with his tale of muslin, while historian Eduardo Manzano Moreno gave a lecture on Madinat al-Zahra and Islamic Spain.
Throughout the event, several authors launched their books. Among notable figures was former Federal Board of Revenue chief Shabbar Zaidi, who introduced audiences to his autobiography, 32 Onkar Road. Authors Ziauddin Sardar, Maha Khan Phillips, and former Australian judge Michael Pembroke also unveiled their latest books.
In exchanges with The Standard throughout the event, delegates enthusiastically shared the impact of cultural festivals, with many walking away from the second day’s sitar performance with a newfound love for Pakistan’s art and expression. While many admitted to familiarity with Pakistan’s artistic topography, newcomers appreciated the introduction to a new world. The performance, as well as the Punjabi mushaira of the first day, even garnered praise online, with social media users expressing their admiration for such displays of artistry.
In conversations, the delegates also expressed an appreciation for the public platform, raising awareness for pressing issues and concerns, including class disparities, the professional and social under-representation of women, the importance of fostering tolerance and cultural collaboration and a myriad of other pitfalls that continue to plague the modern world.
Even as the event concluded, spirits remained at an all-time high with large crowds visiting a display featuring over 10,000 hand-woven roses. The one common refrain from those attending was the crucial role played by festivals such as the LLF in broadening horizons and providing space for conversations of cultural significance. Foreign delegates, in particular, noted that cultural exchanges such as the LLF are essential for exporting Pakistani culture to a global audience.
The impact of cultural festivals in Pakistan cannot be understated. The LLF’s weekend of sagacious undertakings shows why, as talks by historians, creatives, storied athletes, decorated officials and more saw the event building upon the foundations of previous iterations to deliver a truly one-of-a-kind experience.