First-ever Women Literature Festival gets underway

PESHAWAR: Authors, poets, academicians and others came closer Monday at the first-ever Women Literature Festival to inspire and empower the future generations.

This event was arranged through the collaborative efforts of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University (SBBWU), Peshawar and Dosti Welfare Organization with the primary goal of fostering a deeper connection between women and literature.

Women writers and literature enthusiasts from various parts of the province enthusiastically participated in the event.

SBBWU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Safia welcomed the chief guest Dr Parveen Azam Khan , the wife of caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan, and Peshawar Mayor Peshawar Zubair Ali who was the special guest.

Dr Parveen Azam Khan spoke about the significance of women’s involvement and contribution to literature and the need to support and encourage gender equality in the field of literature.

She paid tributes to the women associated with literature for creating works in Urdu, Pashto, Hindko and other Pakistani languages.

Dr Parveen Azam Khan appreciated SBBWU for arranging and hosting first-ever women’s Literature Festival.Bushra Farrukh, first PTV Peshawar Centre announcer and chairperson ofKarwan-e-Hawa organization, said women had always remained an important part of literature.

One of the inspiring sessions in the festival was a success story narrated by Neelum Afridi who shared her thoughts about the need and importance of the literature festival in the contemporary era.She encouraged others to pursue their dreams and face the hindrances coming across their literary journey.

Irfan Khan from the Dosti Foundation delivered a speech appreciating women in the literary field as well as acknowledged the contribution of Dr Hamida Bibi, Tashfeen Zia, Dr Sumaira Gull, Sania Siraj, and the whole dedicated organizing team. He thanked Governor Ghulam Ali and Peshawar Mayor Zubair Ali for their unconditional support for the conduction of women literature festival. He believed that literature and education together will lead towards the path of a better future.

The mayor congratulated Prof Dr Safia Ahmed on arranging the first-ever Women Literature Festival as a vice-chancellor of SBBWU.The mayor emphasized on the importance of reading books and to use social media for the promotion of literature.

He believed that Peshawar women’s Literature Festival successfully combined literature with empowerment and this would be celebrated under the banner of literature festival. The inaugural event concluded with the distribution of shields and souvenirs among the guests and participants.