Videos: Lahore Literary Festival 2017 Takes New York
This past weekend, Asia Society hosted an all-day celebration of Pakistan's best performers, creative minds, and cultural commentators at the Lahore Literary Festival. This is the second time the festival has been held abroad — both times at Asia Society New York.
Watch below for full videos of the various discussions and performances.
Author and journalist Ahmed Rashid, former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robin Raphel, and former CEO of Viacom and current board member of VICE Tom Freston discussed the phenomenon of fake news and what it means for individuals and states. The conversation was moderated by Amna Nawaz of ABC News.
Contemporary artist and MacArthur fellow Shahzia Sikander discussed her video animation work Disruption Rupture with the project's collaborators, Pulitzer-prize winning musical composer Du Yun and singer, and writer Ali Sethi. The conversation was moderated by Asia Society Director of Global Performing Arts and Cultural Initiatives Rachel Cooper.
Policy analyst and journalist Raza Rumi and classical singer Tahira Syed explored Lahore and greater Pakistan’s cornerstone of Sufism, the shrine of Data Darbar.
Art historian F.S. Aijazuddin and Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Navina Najat Haidar paid homage to the royal patrons and the commoners who created the jewel city of Lahore by revisiting F.S. Aijazuddin’s publication Pahari Paintings & Sikh Portraits in the Lahore Museum.
Author Basharat Peer, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University Bernard Haykel, and Co-Chair of The Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University Saskia Sassen discussed the complexity of globalization and the emergent new political order. The conversation was moderated by Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University Akbar Noman.
Author of A Case of Exploding Mangoes Mohammed Hanif and author of The Golden Legend Nadeem Aslam delved into the role of satire and escapism at the crossroads of fiction and reality. The conversation was moderated by New York Times literary critic Dwight Garner.
Masters of Qawwali Sufi music Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawwal and Brothers brought the festival to a close with a sold-out performance.