LAHORE: The second day of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) 2025 was a remarkable confluence of intellect, storytelling, and artistic expression, drawing audiences into profound discussions on history, literature, heritage, and contemporary global issues. With sessions spanning diverse themes from historical narratives to urban identities, culinary heritage to Palestinian art the day proved to be a master class in cultural engagement.
The day commenced with Peter Frankopan’s captivating session on New Silk Roads: Is Power Shifting Eastwards? In conversation with Hasan Karar, the esteemed historian unraveled the intricate networks of trade, power, and cultural exchanges that have defined civilizations across centuries.
Further enriching historical discourse, Spanish historian Eduardo Manzano Moreno delivered an insightful talk on The Court of the Caliphate of Al-Andalus, shedding light on Islamic Spain’s golden era and its enduring intellectual and artistic legacy.
One of the most engaging sessions of the day, The City as a Character, featured David Wagner, Sofka Zinovieff, Mohsin Hamid, and Osama Siddique, who reflected on how cities influence literature and shape narratives. Their discussion on Berlin, Athens, and Lahore provided fascinating insights into how urban spaces become living characters in storytelling.
A profoundly moving session, Perceptions of Palestine, featured filmmaker Azza El-Hassan and Hira Wasti Ahmed. It explored how colonial violence reshapes visual identity and cultural memory. Ali Raza chaired the discussion, underscoring artistic resistance’s power in reinterpreting historical realities.
Punjabi literature took center stage as Fauzia Ishaq, Saleem Sohail, Anwar Zahid, Zahid Hassan, and Rai Muhammad Khan Nasir engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the evolution, depth, and contemporary relevance of Punjabi literary traditions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.