By Zahid Karani
KARACHI: The Adab Festival, founded and directed by Ameena Saiyid S.I., is set to return for its eighth edition in Karachi on Sunday, 10 November 2024. This year, the festival will be held at Habitt on Tipu Sultan Road, running from 11 am to 10 pm. In a shift from the traditional model of a single large festival each year, the Adab Festival will now host several one-day events annually, bringing the celebration of literature, arts, and culture to various parts of Pakistan.
Ameena Saiyid expressed her gratitude to the festival’s key partners, which include the Sindh Government, Goethe Institut, Vgotel, Institute of Business Management, Habib Metropolitan Bank, the British Council, Magnus Investments, and Habitt Karachi. Their support has been integral to the growth and success of the festival, which has become a cornerstone event for literary and cultural exchange in Pakistan.
Adab Festival, described by Saiyid as a “new Silk Route,” aims to bring the richness of Pakistan’s cultural traditions and literature to a broader audience, both locally and internationally. By offering free entry, the festival fosters a sense of community engagement, encouraging people from all walks of life to explore, enjoy, and discuss books and literature. The festival’s programming is designed to stimulate critical thinking, challenge mainstream narratives, and promote creative and intellectual exchange, with a strong emphasis on alternative perspectives and visionary ideas.
Several groundbreaking books will be discussed at the festival, including The Election by Omar Shahid Hamid, Jinnah. A Life by Yasser Latif Hamdani, Dear Mr. Jinnah. 70 years in the Life of a Pakistani Civil Servant by Salman Faruqui, and Heart Tantrums. A Memoir of Marriage and Misogyny by Aisha Sarwari.
