Starting today, February 14, 2025, the 9th Faiz Festival, a three-day cultural extravaganza, will be hosted by the Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra). The festival promotes togetherness, cultural variety, and artistic expression while celebrating the legacy of the famous poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. It is organised by the Faiz Ghar Foundation.
An art display called “Tum Apni Karni Kar Guzro” opens the festival, laying the groundwork for more than 50 exciting programs. There will be musical concerts, book releases, poetry slams, literary debates, and dramatic performances. Special sessions including Zehra Nigah and Iftikhar Arif, two literary giants, will discuss Faiz’s poetry. Another highlight is a cross-border conversation with Indian director Nandita Das and cultural ambassador Moneeza Hashmi.
Session titles like “Hum Dharti Ki Malikain Hain” honour women’s accomplishments while other sessions tackle topics including environmental concerns, the growth of Urdu, and Palestine. Shafqat Amanat Ali and Sara Raza Khan will be performing for music lovers, and those interested in theatre will be able to see energetic plays accompanied by traditional dhol drumming.
The importance of the festival in encouraging innovation, open discussion, and solidarity was stressed by Syed Tauqeer Haider Kazmi, the executive director. The Faiz Festival, with its varied programming, ensures that art and literary lovers will have an experience they will never forget, and it also confirms that Lahore is the cultural centre of Pakistan.
