Lush towering trees, dappled sunlight cascading down their branches to the historic road below, and historical buildings, relics of a crumbling and often unloved past, pave the way to the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF). This year, it felt like the festival snuck up on the residents of Lahore without the usual fanfare that has been associated with it for years past. Talks, exhibitions and workshops were scheduled from 21st to 23rd of February at the iconic Alhamra Performing Arts Theatre, ushering in the arrival of spring at one of the finest public spaces in Lahore.

There’s something about the historic Mall Road that immediately places one into a reverie; a feeling of inspiration washes over the visitor as one escapes the frenzied pace of life in the rest of the city. Of course, given the unfortunate overlap between the Cricket Champions Trophy matches, the recently expanded Islamic Art Festival, and the LLF this year, the reverie was rudely awakened with frequent and unpredictable road blockades to accommodate “VIP movement” and provide protection to the international cricket players moving around the city. Many attendees remarked on the inconvenience this caused, making it difficult to arrive on time for sessions and forcing others to turn back when the roadblocks and traffic were impenetrable.

Battling the obstacles, my car forged a winding path through back streets and narrow alleys on a sunny Friday afternoon. Walking into the Alhamra, I was surprised to see the usual hubbub and festive ambiance lacking this year. Attendance and overall excitement seemed in short supply, and the colorful flags, vibrant strings of marigolds, and the beautiful sounds of live music and general merriment that adorn the central courtyard were missing on the commencement day of the festival. The Opening Ceremony was attended by a slew of dignitaries and government officials with a keynote speech by historian Ayesha Jalal, and opening comments by Razi Ahmed, CEO of the LLF who commented, “This festival continues to bring together voices from around the world, fostering dialogue and enriching minds.”

A grand proclamation such as that begs the question: does this still hold true? After 13 years of the Lahore Literary Festival, is it still fulfilling its stated objective of enriching minds and fostering dialogue? At times over the course of the three day festival, it felt as though the dialogue and enrichment were sadly missing in action, and were instead replaced by a perfunctory, half-hearted attempt at organizing the festival. Whispers floating around by those in the know revealed that this year the organizational committee left all planning to the eleventh hour, not totally unsurprising given that a degree of confidence comes with organizing a festival that has been an annual feature for over a decade. Unfortunately, the result of this overconfidence and complacency was a lackluster turnout for opening day. The paved area outside Hall 1, usually buzzing with food stalls was quieter than usual, which wasn’t altogether terrible for sparse attendees because it meant being able to grab a quick snack between sessions.

Distinguished Pakistani academics, writers and thinkers such as Ayesha Jalal, F. S. Aijazuddin, British Pakistani journalist Mishal Husain, Kamran Lashari, Sanam Maher, Mohsin Hamid and Osama Siddique were just a few big names participating in the talks on the first day. Topics ranged from discussions on historical methodologies, to a collection of Sikh paintings housed in the Lahore Fort, from fictional works based on Mughal princess Jahanara, to a talk about food writing and photography.

Notably, a much needed and timely panel on ‘Perceptions of Palestine’ with Palestinian filmmaker Azza El-Hassan and Hira Wasti Ahmed, founder of Acacia Magazine, was scheduled on the first day. The panel was moderated by Professor Ali Raza of LUMS and delved into the "afterlife of Palestinian images" or the impact of visual images depicting Palestinians and the violence they have suffered under occupation. El-Hassan focused her comments on the life that images live after the initial violence is committed, oftentimes used later on as an ‘archive of disappearance’. It was fascinating to observe the unique atmosphere and crowd that attended each talk: the Palestine talk was tucked away into one of the smaller, more intimate halls, the lighting very dim with only the stage and the three speakers illuminated whilst the audience, mostly younger people, was shrouded in darkness. The intimacy of the space felt essential for delving into such heavy themes.

In contrast, brightly lit Hall 1 boasted ensemble panels and an overflowing crowd of students and older patrons of arts and culture, as well as a significant number of foreigners. ’The City as a Character’ was an illuminating talk moderated by Portuguese writer Teresa Nicolau and had four panelists: our very own Mohsin Hamid and Osama Siddique, along with German writer David Wagner and British writer, and podcast host Sofka Zinovieff. A stimulating conversation on the distinct personalities of cities such as Lahore, Athens, Berlin and Venice took place; the idea that every city is a living being, each with its own traumas, unique beauty and moods.

On Day 2, some progress was thankfully made to restore the festive atmosphere associated with the LLF in previous years. The Pakistan Youth Poet Laureates recited their poems from their newly launched anthology titled “Jashan” in English, Urdu and Punjabi during lunch hour as the golden spring sunshine blazed upon the courtyard. Bystanders and camera crews were present to cover the festival, and the multicolored buntings that were conspicuously absent on day 1 were now adorning the courtyard and its surroundings.

Notable programmes from Day 2 of the festival included a lecture on climate change and its impact on the development of civilizations by Peter Frankopan, history professor at Oxford University; a panel discussion on AI and the threats and opportunities it poses to the creative arts with Jessica Bruder and Julia von Lucadou, both writers, Peter Frankopan and Mohsin Hamid; an interview by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott of Mishal Husain, high profile British Pakistani journalist, on her book Broken Threads; and a fascinating workshop by Haji Noor Deen from Zhen Zhou, China on Arabic Calligraphy. Each of these talks were hosted in Hall 1, packed full to the brim with an audience that was rapt with attention; eager smatterings of applause punctuated the speeches, and enthusiastic questions and comments by audience members wrapped up each session.

An engaging and well-researched moderator was a key element to the most illuminating discussions at the festival; the talks where the moderators were blasé, poorly prepared or language impaired, felt less worthwhile. Certain speakers had a tendency to ramble off topic, and would have benefitted from being corralled by a competent moderator. On the other hand, it was immeasurably enjoyable to witness those instances where the moderator and speaker were in sync and completely immersed in their dialogue, as when Mishal Husain, an articulate and charismatic person in her own right, was interviewed by Jane Marriott who was equally engaging. There was a palpable energy to the conversation and the entire hall was deeply engrossed. In halls with less competent moderators, one could observe cross-talk between audience members and a general air of distraction and disinterest, a real pity considering some had traveled far to attend the festival.

Peter Frankopan’s presentations on Day 2 deserve an honorable mention: the first was a lecture on anthropogenic shocks to the climate and the development of civilizations. It is rare to come across such a knowledgeable, personable and enthusiastic speaker who was able to carry an hour-long history lecture with his audience chuckling, gasping and at the edge of their seats. His slides were informative, his humor infectious, and it would be fair to say many people pleasantly walked away from that session a lot wiser to the historical effects of climate. I found one of the most fascinating tidbits to be the consistent mention of climate crises across religions: from the story of the Garden of Eden, to the story of the great Noachian flood.

His second contribution to the day was a panel on The Age of AI, pointing out to the audience how three of the recent Nobel Prize awards related to AI technology. Mohsin Hamid also made some poignant contributions to this panel, commenting that “our wisdom is not growing exponentially but our tools are,” describing AI as a “cannibal technology” and highlighting the folly of treating technological tools as masters of mankind.

So many thoughts were swirling in my mind leaving the LLF on Day 2, as the sounds of a resounding live qawwali graced the gardens that day, a celebration of our rich musical tradition. It’s a rare delight to feel inspired and illuminated, and there’s something to be said about the joys of being in a public space that feels safe and inclusive.

On Day 3, the atmosphere was relaxed and joyful at the Alhamra, though the turnout seemed a little sparse once again. Perhaps the other events taking place in the city were to blame, or perhaps this year only those who truly enjoy what LLF has to offer were the ones who showed up. In years past, the upper class of Lahore, in their bright saris and bohemian beads, eastern waistcoats paired with tailored trousers, designer sunglasses and fancy wristwatches, would comprise a significant number of attendees. This year, they were largely and conspicuously absent. The dearth of foreign delegates at the LLF this year may have contributed to diminishing the pull of the event as well; the aura of vibrance lent by the star power of foreign guests and the internationalism previously synonymous with the festival seemed missing this year.

A wide range of talks were scheduled for the final day, from a presentation by Naila Kiani, the first Pakistani woman to summit 11 of the tallest peaks in the world; to a panel on female resilience with Feryal Gauhar and Rhonda Gossen, both women’s rights activists and writers; from a discussion on science fiction writing with Karen Joy Fowler; to a talk by Lyane Guillaume moderated by Hassan Tahir Latif on Czars and Mughals. Many audience members felt seen and heard during the launch of literary anthology ‘Home, it’s complicated.’ Writer Awais Khan noted the ‘endless tussle between who you want to be and who you ought to be’ as a Pakistani, and Fiona Razvi, director of the Wimbledon Book Fest, emphasized the importance of representation, pointing out the need to challenge the idea of a place for global audiences.

Stepping out of the halls as evening fell on the final day, an enthusiastic drum circle was taking place in the garden; young and old, men, women and children, city folk as well as those who seemed to have come from far flung regions of Pakistan, all sat together pounding away at their drums in unison. A moving beat rose up in the air, accompanied by a cool breeze and the honeyed sunshine of golden hour. The festival may have been a little imperfect this year, but true pleasure comes from finding beauty amongst imperfections. Many attendees surely felt a swell of gratitude for the weekend that had passed, and the opportunity to immerse themselves in a celebration of arts and culture.