ISLAMABAD: Much awaited Islamabad Literature Festival (ILF) kicked off at Lok Virsa on Friday. British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, French Ambassador Martine Dorance, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar attended the inaugural ceremony. The residents of the federal capital witnessed another star-studded galaxy of literary figures at Lok Virsa on Friday at the inauguration of fourth Islamabad literature Festival containing hundreds of interactive sessions, activities and performances along with exhibitions, book fair and food courts. The inaugural ceremony of a three-day event was held on Thursday evening at Lok Virsa Auditorium in which British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, French Ambassador Martine Dorance, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fauzia Saeed and Oxford University Press (OUP) MD Ameena Saiyid along with renowned journalist Ahmed Rashid and Masood Ashar were the key note speakers. Oxford University Press MD Ameena Saiyid while inaugurating the fourth Islamabad literature Festival formally said that the ILF gives us an opportunity to learn about and come across new authors and books, discover new ideas and respond to them in a systematic way. On the occasion, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew CMG said, “The Islamabad Literature Festival ike its sister festivals in Karachi and Lahore is a celebration of literature, art and of culture. Literature shows the depth, variety, colour and texture that anyone visiting this country can see but is too often invisible to those outside the country”. Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that such festivals are the need of the hour and we have to understand their value for a democratic society. Literature, art and culture speeds inspiration as it speeds hope, analyse and reflect the rights and the wrong. After the inaugural session on the first day, ILF sessions include Ruk ja Hujoom-e-Gul, a conversation with Zehra Nigah and a Potohari Mushaira moderated by Alle Imran while renowned potohari poets including Javed Ahmad, Azaram Khiyam, Saqib Imam Rizvi, and several others presented their exciting poetry. A student Saqib Bashir who was visiting the festival said; “The festivals like ILF provides us an opportunity of enjoyment and learning at the same time”. He further said, “There is no extra ordinary concession is available on the purchase of books which should be given”. A session named Shaam Laatt was also held to pay tribute to Nasreen Anjum Bhatti in which Fahmida Riaz and Ahmad Salim discussed her contribution in Punjabi literature with the moderator Sarwat Mohiuddin. On its first day, a tribute to Ismat Chughtai and Quratulain Hyder was also made in a session ‘Lady Changez Khan’ and ‘Pom Pom Darling’ by Zambeel dramatic readings. Asma Mundrawala, Mahvash Faruqi, Danish Faruqi and Fawad Khan participated in this session. English Poetry was also discussed in a session ‘Springtime Voices’, in which Harris Khalique, Azka Khan, Waqas Naeem, Risham Amjad, Mina Malik-Hussain and Mehvash Amin participated while it was moderated by lona Yusuf. Former foreign secretary Riaz Ahmed Kohkhar and a renowned journalist Ahmed Rashid discussed ‘Jihad’ and ‘Descent into Chaos’ in a conversation. On the first day, a well known artist Rashid Rana took part in a conversation with ArtNow Editor Quddus Mirza and shared his views about his work including the upcoming survey show at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi and his role as the appointed artistic director of the first Lahore biennale. The three-day literature celebrations will continue today and tomorrow while a number of interactive sessions, performances and activities are planned including special tributes to eminent personalities like Fatima Surayya Bajia, Jamiluddin Aali, Intizar Husain and Nasreen Anjum Bhatti. The festival will also invite a debate on several social issues like Women Protection Bill, the state of Urdu literature in Pakistani schools and college Syllabus, ‘The Past is A Foreign Country: How Does History Inform Fiction’, ‘Blind in One Eye: Cinematic Traditions and Pakistani and Indian Cinema’, ‘Media: More Independent, Less Responsible, Pakistani English Literature: New Books, New Writers, New Directions, Mera Paigham Mohabbat Hai’ and ‘The secular and pluralist tradition of Urdu poetry’. While talking to the Daily Times, a working women Bena Ali said, “Our country is in grip of extremist mind-set but now situation is improving day by day with the passage of time and in my view this literature festival would be helpful to adopt a counter narrative against that specific mind-set”. Islamabad Literature Festival is being organised by Oxford University Press (OUP) while this year it is being sponsored by Embassy of France, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Pakistan Reading Project, Stylo, AWAAZ, Getz Pharma, Tapal, The World Bank Group, ICAS, British High Commission, Cinepax, and ArtNow, Lok Virsa and Careem.