Peshawar offers a Literary Festival for Women

Empowering the next generation through literature and the voices of women at the Dosti Peshawar Women's Literature Festival.

on Nov 08, 2023

Peshawar offers a Literary Festival for Women | Frontlist

Bringing renowned poetesses, authors, readers, and academics together to inspire and empower the next generation

The first edition of the Dosti Peshawar Women's Literature Festival was held in the District Assembly Hall, bringing together renowned poetesses, authors, readers, and academics to inspire and empower the next generation.

Prof Dr Safia Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Benazir University, welcomed the major guest, K-P chief minister's wife Dr Parveen Azam, and Mayor Zubair Ali of Peshawar.

In her speech, she emphasized the importance of women's participation and contributions to
writing, as well as the importance of championing gender equality in the literary industry. Prof. Dr. Ahmed also praised Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University for conducting the first-ever Women's Literature Festival.

The event included an inspiring session in which Neelum Afridi presented her success story, emphasising the significance of literature festivals in the modern period. She inspired others to pursue their literary ambitions and overcome challenges along the way.

Irfan Khan of the Dosti Foundation gave a speech acknowledging the contributions of women in the literary sector and thanking Dr. Hamida Bibi, Tashfeen Zia, Dr. Sumaira Gull, Sania Siraj, and the hardworking organising team. He thanked the Governor and Mayor of Peshawar for their support of the occasion. He felt that education and writing would pave the path for a brighter future.

Zubair Ali, Mayor of Peshawar, complimented Prof. Dr. Safia Ahmed on organising the first-ever Women's Literature Festival as Vice Chancellor of SBBWU. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to fostering gender equality in all parts of society, emphasising the importance of reading books and using social media to promote literature. He wished the festival luck until its end on November 9th, emphasising how well it mixed literature and empowerment.

Dr. Parveen Azam Khan valued literature's importance in society and how it reflected Peshawar's history, customs, and culture.