As many as 20,000 students hailing from different parts of the country participated in first day of three-day Pakistan Learning Festival (PLF) launched on Friday to explore their creativity, compassion, and digital literacy skills. As many as 200,000 to 300,000 children are expected to attend this mega festival. The festival was organized by Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in joint collaboration with National Book Foundation (NBF) and others and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA). The purpose of the event to enhance the quality learning experiences for children, youth, teachers, and parents, regardless of background or circumstance. The PLF fosters creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, compassion, and Artificial Intelligence, combining academic and non-academic expertise to empower all individuals. According to Federal Education Secretary Mohyudin Ahmed Wani the PLF is a homegrown innovation and it thrives on partnerships in classrooms, schools, homes and communities. “Due to this important backdrop, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has integrated PLF into its annual calendar. He further stated that it is being estimated that as many as 300,000 children would attend festival. Wani emphasized the ministry’s plans to expand such events nationwide in collaboration with provincial governments. He further highlighted that this is the largest learning festival in the country’s history, adding that its diverse offerings, including storytelling sessions, knowledge-sharing activities, film screenings, book fairs, education-tech demonstrations, and skill-building workshops. Students from federal public and private institutions, as well as delegations from Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi, are participating in the festival. The British Army band performance was held as launching demo while the participating girls of different schools were supposed to give those (British Army band performers) a good competition. Federal education minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui inaugurated the festival and visited book stalls and observed the various activities at the festival. On the occasion, Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah praised the potential of the younger generation. “The sky is the limit for our development,” he said, adding that events like this significantly enhance students’ learning experiences. Justice Minallah further stated that learning festivals are more than just events; they are celebrations of knowledge, creativity, and collaboration. These festivals bring together students, teachers, parents, and communities to foster a culture of lifelong learning and innovation. Minister for planning Ahsan Iqbal stressed the importance of hosting such festivals across all districts of Pakistan. He reflected on the country’s journey, calling it a “nation built on immense sacrifices” and noting its achievements despite early challenges. “From starting with nothing to becoming the seventh nuclear power and producing advanced aircraft like the JF-17 Thunder, Pakistan has come a long way,” he said. Iqbal encouraged the youth to dream big and work hard, emphasizing that progress stems from determination rather than privilege. He shared his personal journey, recalling how his dream of serving Pakistan through public office became a reality. He urged the youth to reject divisive rhetoric and embrace teamwork under the banner of “Team Pakistan.” Referring to a past attack against him, Iqbal blamed political and social media-driven hatred and called for fostering tolerance, peace, and brotherhood.