Festival held to showcase cultural diversity

PESHAWAR: The Dosti Peshawar Literature Festival unfolded a celebration of intellect, creativity, and cultural discourse under the evocative theme of Ranaiy-e-Khayal.

Organized by Dosti Welfare Organisation in collaboration with the University of Peshawar, commissioner Peshawar Division, National Commission for Human Development, UNICEF, KP Child Protection Welfare Commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority, and the Department of Arabic (UoP).

The people from Peshawar, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Mardan and merged districts showed up at the event.The festival was inaugurated by Farhatullah Babar as chief guest at the opening ceremony, while Dr Abdul Rauf Rafiqui attended the closing ceremony as chief guest. Their presence underscored the festival’s significance in fostering intellectual enrichment and cultural revitalization across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The festival featured an intellectually invigorating programme comprising 12 keynote addresses delivered by scholars including Dr Shahid Siddiqui, Dr Akbar Zaidi, Dr Khalid Mufti, Dr Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, and Prof Arif Khattak.

The festival’s multifaceted agenda also encompassed 39 panel discussions, 17 author and translator talks, 3 book talks, 11 workshops, 3 masterclasses, 19 standalone talks, 9 book launch sessions, and 5 dialogues, alongside a special session on Foreign Affairs at Qurtuba University Peshawar.

Complementing these intellectual engagements, 3 exhibitions on art, culture, and science provided a dynamic visual and experiential dimension to the festival’s offerings.The festival placed a strong emphasis on education and inclusivity, hosting a Children’s Festival with dedicated sessions on Special Education and a Higher Education Summit .

In alignment with its commitment to societal well-being, healing documentaries curated for the event offered profound insights into contemporary social and psychological challenges.A cultural segment at Nishtar Hall enraptured audiences with the mesmerizing performance of “Kathak Katha” -a classical Kathak dance narrative by Khanzada Asfandyar Khattak-followed by “Sanata” a compelling musical theatre production directed by Nisar Tanoli (Hazarewal Theatre), which explored the profound themes of silence and resilience. The festival culminated in a deeply moving and celebratory musical performance, the “Songs of Peshawar”, by the Jwand Parasta Band, honoring the rich and diverse musical heritage of the region.