What kind of literature festivals do we really need?

I was quite fascinated by the idea of TED talks when it was launched and I used to follow Ted talks to get insight into the new ideas. Recently, the various literature festivals begin to take place on annual basis, the intelligenstia and writers from all over Pakistan are invited to brainstorm on various themes...exhaustive sessions go on without any concrete social action plan. 

These festivals can spark a new bond between the centre and federation units if we begin to have diologues on the key political questions, the question of nationalities, their identities, autonomy and resources. The main discourse has not necessarily to be dominated by the hollow slogans of patriotism and Pakistaniat without addressing the grievances of the various peripheries. 

I personally believe that radicalism and extremism in Pakistani society has increased. The society has become more polarised and divided, our institutions are divided, our media is divided and the public at large cannot seek harmony and unity because of this division. There's severe intolerance against minority and marginal groups including women. We must incorporate secular values into our ideology and identity. Secular discourse will bring unity among the masses, no matter how difficult and challenging the debate seems but it is necessary and uphill task to engage into the diologue where we must put forward this by calling spade a spade and by pronouncing the culprits who are propagating faulty interpretation of Islam for their political goals. 

Encourage music and arts, it is liberating and refreshing. Share our pain and misery through art and encourage artists who can share the universal emotions to the world at large. It is unifying and antidote of polarisation. Music is fascinating, cognitively, emotionally and mentally... It plays a role of Bridge where we all can connect to it. 

Redefine the patriotism and paradigm of security state, let us talk about economic upliftment and sustainable development. Development that is alligned with our ecological system. We cannot ruin our climate at the cost of so called progress. 

These festivals have to instill a on going debate in a organized way backed by social action plan and effective measures to tackle the issues at hand. We hope that someday, new organic movement that is politically viable will begin out of it and who knows Sindh could get a new political alternative for its constituency because of this process.