Children’s Literature Festival concludes

Islamabad :After the two exhilarating days of literature celebrations of Islamabad, the 62nd Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) wrapped up at Lok Virsa on Thursday with phenomenal children’s participation and agency being the most vibrant aspects of the fun-filled event.

The two-day event organised by civil society organisation Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and sponsored by Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan, Open Society Foundations (OSF), Oxfam, British Council, Ittehad Steel Mills, Female Education Trust Balochistan, Sightsavers and Millennium Education saw a wide array of sessions and activities by CLF Goodwill ambassadors, MNAs, resource persons and students.

Children’s agency remained at full swing at CLF Islamabad 2019 as they were at the center of the two-day festivities at Lok Virsa. The literature festival received a huge response from students, teachers and the general public as over 20,000 children attended the event. Schools from distant districts like Mansehra, Nowshera, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Gujrat and Muzaffargarh also participated in the event.

Hina Khan, a student from Mardan, said that she got to learn a lot at the festival, especially about girls’ education. Another student, Khurshid Sherani who came from Chak Shahzad, Islamabad said that the science, drama and theatre workshops gave her the opportunity in bringing out her hidden talent.

ITA CEO and CLF founder Baela Raza Jamil expressed pride over the successful event. She said that it is very encouraging to see all these young faces excited to broaden their knowledge. “This is a dream come true that we have managed two amazing days in Islamabad where students from over 12 districts from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab participated. The festival went really well and I am thankful to all of the sponsors and partners for their support, passion and love to promote learning culture in the country,” she added.