LLF cut down to a single day

Legendary British actor Michael Palin among participants

LAHORE: Originally planned as a three-day event, the fifth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival 2017 has been confined to a single-day due to security concerns. The festival is being hosted at Faletti’s Hotel, Egerton Road.

“The revised, robust program celebrates the written word, the arts and activism from Pakistan and abroad,” said Razi Ahmed, founder and CEO of LLF. “We are certain Lahore’s audiences will be thrilled with our latest edition.” Following two days of confusion, it was announced on Thursday that the event would be cut down to two days and have 55 sessions. It was also announced that the event was expected to be held at Avari Hotel.

However, according to the finally revised programme, the now daylong event will kick off at 10 am with fiction writer Kamila Shamsie in conversation with Monty Python’s Michael Palin during a session titled as ‘Not a nice Man at All’. Palin appeared in, among others, the famous Monty Python parrot sketch which is considered one of the greatest works of comedy in history.  The literary festival will also include around 9 book launches as a part of the sessions.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2017.