According to many people KLF- Karachi Literature Festival is a good platform for all the literature lovers and for those who wants to borrow the fruits of literature. 8th KLF was held at Beach Luxury Hotel for 3 days 10,11,12 of February 2017.
The festival was produced and sponsored by Oxford University Press, directed by Ameena Saiyid. It was not only sponsored by Oxford University Press but also by Emirates, Pepsi, UBL and by many big brands of Pakistan. News also said that the ICCR- Indian Council for Cultural Relations also sponsored the program. The director general of ICCR said that " It is the first time ICCR is sponsoring the event, which began in 2010".(The Indian Express) US Consulate also co-sponsored the event.
Which means the festival doesn't have only national sponsors but international sponsors also.
The thing which click me is after having too many national and international both sponsors, why KLF was unable to have that level? Why it seems like it is the festival for a particular class of the society? Why they didn't decrease the cost of books,while it is a festival?
For me yes no doubt it was full of literature, books, journalists, intellectuals and it had free of cost entry but it was also for upper class by upper class. There was nothing in the festival of which an average middle class can enjoy the fruit of festival even a single book there cost almost 1000 or more. If they claimed that the festival is for Karachiites, for awareness, to spread literature then this must not consist of that costy books, they should make it easy and cheap for people so they can access easily to the books of festival.
Which means next time KLF must have a cheap book mela from which everyone can easily buy a book or ten to literate themselves. Only in that way KLF will be a successful literature festival for an average middle class, which are the backbone of any society and for sure books are the real essence of literature.
By: Mahum Mansoor
The festival was produced and sponsored by Oxford University Press, directed by Ameena Saiyid. It was not only sponsored by Oxford University Press but also by Emirates, Pepsi, UBL and by many big brands of Pakistan. News also said that the ICCR- Indian Council for Cultural Relations also sponsored the program. The director general of ICCR said that " It is the first time ICCR is sponsoring the event, which began in 2010".(The Indian Express) US Consulate also co-sponsored the event.
Which means the festival doesn't have only national sponsors but international sponsors also.
The thing which click me is after having too many national and international both sponsors, why KLF was unable to have that level? Why it seems like it is the festival for a particular class of the society? Why they didn't decrease the cost of books,while it is a festival?
For me yes no doubt it was full of literature, books, journalists, intellectuals and it had free of cost entry but it was also for upper class by upper class. There was nothing in the festival of which an average middle class can enjoy the fruit of festival even a single book there cost almost 1000 or more. If they claimed that the festival is for Karachiites, for awareness, to spread literature then this must not consist of that costy books, they should make it easy and cheap for people so they can access easily to the books of festival.
Which means next time KLF must have a cheap book mela from which everyone can easily buy a book or ten to literate themselves. Only in that way KLF will be a successful literature festival for an average middle class, which are the backbone of any society and for sure books are the real essence of literature.
By: Mahum Mansoor
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