The Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) being organised by the British Council and Oxford University Press (OUP) is going to start here on Saturday (today).

The KLF is the first of its kind in Pakistan.

It brings together Pakistani and international authors writing in different languages such as Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, English, German and French.

It is the third edition of the event being organised in Karachi since 2010.

Launched in 2010, the annual two-day Karachi Literature Festival is open to all and free.

It features creative writing workshops, debates/discussions, lectures, Mushairah (Urdu poetry jam), a book fair, book launches, readings, signings, interactive storytelling for children, music/theatre performances, and more.

The US Consulate General; Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany; the Goethe Institute Pakistan; the French Consulate General and the Embassy of France are co-sponsors of the event.

Speaking at the lunch dinner of KLF held here on Friday evening, the US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter expressed his pleasure and said the event would bring together international and Pakistani writers.

“It is truly wonderful partnership for us,” he said.

The German Consul General in Karachi Dr Tilo Klinner in his speech said the KLF was an important event that provides diverse programmes.

“We are glad to be part of KLF,” he said.

Managing Director of OUP Ameena Saiyid said that the annual two-day Karachi Literature Festival was launched in 2010.

It is open to all and free.

The first of its kind in Pakistan, it brings together and celebrates Pakistani and international authors writing in languages such as Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, English, German and French.

The Festival has grown rapidly.

Attendance rose from roughly 5,000 in 2010 to 10,000 in 2011.

While the 2010 Festival had at most two simultaneous sessions, with a total of 35 programmed participants, the 2011 Festival had up to four with 97particiaptns.

“In 2012 we are expecting about 145 programmed participants,” she said.

Each year the participants have been outstanding.

Keynote addresses were given by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi in 2010, Karen Armstrong in 2011 and William Dalrymple will deliver the keynote address in 2012.

The KLF also celebrates music, dance and theatre arts, which are often connected to literature.

The 2010 Festival featured performances by Tehrik-e-Niswan of “A Song of Mohenjodaro” (dance drama) and an Urdu play, “Insha Ka Intezaar,” based on Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” The 2011 Festival began with a homage to Amir Khusro by Sheema Kermani’s group, featured Ajoka Theatre’s performances of sections of Shahid Nadeem’s Bulha (Punjabi play) and Dara, (Urdu play) and culminated with a tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz in the year of his 100th birth anniversary.

The Faiz tribute featured literary and music favourites like Zehra Nigah, Tina Sani, Laal (band), Raza Rumi and Ali Sethi.

In 2012 to celebrate the birth bicentennial of Charles Dickens, Owen Calvert-Lyons of the Arcola Theatre and Peter Higgin of Punchdrunk Enrichment from the UK, will present a theatrical session inspired by “The Uncommercial Traveller,” Dickens’ “account of (among other things) his wanderings around London.” “This year we’re also featuring puppet and moppet shows for children by the Rafi Peer group (all day, every day), a satire/comedy session with Ali Aftab Saeed (Beygairat Brigade), Saad Haroon, and the Banana News Network, and performances by Nritaal and Salman Ahmed of Junoon,” she added.