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LAHORE: The 98th Pakistan Learning Festival concluded here on Wednesday with a strong emphasis on peace, climate sustainability and the observance of World Earth Day, bringing together educators, students and practitioners from across the country in a vibrant celebration of learning and collaboration.
Co-hosted by the Civil Services Academy and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, the two-day festival featured an extensive range of activities, with more than 60 sessions held on the second day alone. The event drew over 6,000 participants, including teachers, students, parents and educationists.
The second day opened with a conversation between Baela Raza Jamil and Sadia Sarmad reflecting on the work and legacy of Raza Kazim. The discussion set the tone for a wide-ranging programme that included creative writing workshops conducted by Oxford University Press, National Book Foundation and Lightstone Publications.
The festival also hosted theatre workshops led by Bina Jawed, Atif Badar and Momina Khan, alongside sessions covering mental health and mindfulness, artificial intelligence, sign language, STEAM education, music, language preservation and entrepreneurship.
A panel discussion on building a children’s publishing ecosystem in Pakistan featured Murad Mohmand, Ameena Saiyid, Kazim Saeed, and Mahesh Pathirathna. Speakers stressed the need for engaging and meaningful content for young readers, with Mr Saeed highlighting the primacy of ideas over the physical form of books. The festival also saw the launch of The EyeWitness by Muhammad Saeed Mehdi, published by Lightstone Publications with participation from Ms Saiyid and Omayr Aziz Saiyid.
The closing ceremony was attended by prominent literary figures, educators and practitioners, reaffirming the festival’s role as a key platform for dialogue, innovation and inclusive education in Pakistan.
