Pokhara, December 18
The 10th edition of the Nepal Literature Festival will be held at Barahi Ghat in Pokhara from December 21 to 26.
The Bookworm Foundation is hosting the festival under the theme ‘A decade of celebrating the power of words’.
According to the coordinator of the festival Sujata Khatri, notable literary figures to attend this year’s literal festival are Booker Prize winner for 2022 Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilka, writer and journalist Akshay Mukul, associate professor Suketu Mehta, writer and film producer Sawa Karim Khan and writer Shreyana Bhattacharya.
Similarly, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, leaders Gagan Thapa, Bishwa Prakash Sharma, CK Raut, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Maha Prasad Adhikari, Dr Bhagwan Koirala, Master chef Santosh Shah, Samrat Upadhyaya and other distinguished personalities will participate in the festival.
According to the organisers, there will be musical performances while poets Nabaraj Parajuli and Ujjwal Sagar will perform in the evening every day.
Khatri informed the last day of the festival will see performances by Anil Shahi and his group and Raithane. The festival will also feature an elocution competition for students studying between grades 9 and 12.
The opening will start with a lecture on ‘Nepal 2090’ by economist Achyut Wagle.
The director of Nepal Literature Festival, Neeraj Bhari, expressed his belief that the social debates and discussions held at the festival would help to hold the duty bearers and stakeholders accountable.