Ananke's Women in Literature Festival 2021 Edition - Gender Voices

WOM EN I N
LI TERA TURE
FESTI V A L 2021

Gen d er
V oi ces

M arch 30 - A pril 1, 20 21

Triggering inclusive
conversations &
celebrating works
of literature by
women

www.anank emag.com

WFL2021

Ananke?s Festival of Women in Literature is a and girls to engage, network and avail all
celebration of the literary genius, creative learning opportunities presented throughout
journeys and lived experiences of the female the festival. Featuring an array of panel
gender. Marking Women?s History Month and discussions, readings, and workshops and a
Women?s Day, the 3-day event starts on March lot more, women and girls ? from aspiring to
30th and concludes on April 1st to also professional writers, will have an opportunity
observe World Book and Copyright Day. to interact and participate in enlightening
discussions.
Taking a deep dive into patrilineal cultures,
their impact and role on the diversity and Abou t An an k e | Realizing an Inclusive Future
creativity of women writers, the festival aims
to trigger conversations on the intersections Ananke is a digital platform empowering
of gender equality, feminism, women?s rights,
migration, politics, and society on literature. women through awareness, advocacy and

Looking at literature from a global education. It was launched in 2014 as a digital
perspective, the impact and role of
translations to expand the scope as well as media entity documenting women's
reach of audience and readership cannot be
ignored. From Dostoevsky to Gabriel Garcia achievements, showcasing them as role
Marquez ? readers have enjoyed many
adventures. And while we read the sublime models for aspiring women and girls to
with relish, we fail and many a times do not
acknowledge the role of female translators, emulate. Ananke is a forum that aims to
their names and efforts long forgotten.
highlight global issues and topics with a
That said, there is yet another yawning gap as
far as translated works of female writers is gender lens.
concerned. What a mere handful of women
literati have in common such as the Our in-depth articles, news and interviews
Sub-continent?s Ismat Chughtai or Arab
World's Nawal El Sadawi, is that their works focus on issues including women?s health and
have been translated. The world has yet to be
exposed to their literary genius. well-being, gender equality, women in tech,

The event plans to create conversations about inclusion and sustainability, safety, climate
how literature produced by women can be
highlighted, promoted & celebrated globally change, education, care work and more.
via translations, digital documentation and
m or e. The platform also publishes special editions
on special occasions, our previous works have
Through the festival, the primary aim is not focused topics including: Day of the Girl,
just to celebrate creativity of female fiction Women?s Day and Women?s Economic
and non-fiction writers, it is to highlight Empowerment. These digital editions can be
female literary history and showcase ? many a viewed on the ISSUU platform.
times ? invisibilized women writers in cultural
festival line-ups. Ananke?s flagship program, Empower, is a
digital internship and capacity building
With the goal to strengthen women?s creative initiative launched in 2016. The program has
voices, the event plans to encourage women trained and mentored more than 70 girls from
all over the world including Kenya, Nigeria,
Ghana, Malawi, Cameroon, Morocco, Pakistan,
India, the UAE, Bangladesh, Belarus, China,
Russia, Australia, Bahamas and more.

The platform has been nominated twice by
the World Summit on Information Society
Prizes (2019 & 2020) for its digitally inclusive
work on gender.

VISION

Celebrat ing Visionary Wom en by Creat ing
HERst ories

Ananke?s aim is to encourage women?s economic empowerment by raising
awareness about the importance ofequal participation in the technology
revolution. The platform also strives to trigger as well as engage in
conversations focusing inclusion and gender in every sphere of society in
digital space. Most importantly, Ananke offers a wide array of capacity
building and leadership programs with a vision to create a talent-pool of
female trailblazers.

The platform focuses on four main areas with a vision to transform
aspiring women and girls into changemakers and future leaders,
participating in modern, knowledge-based society.

Access: The platform offers a digital space where girls engage in
meaningful dialogue on issues with a gender lens and learn the
importance of diversity and inclusion.

Resear ch : Ananke?s interns and followers have access to our large
database of in-depth stories, articles, research work and interviews on
gender, the SDGs, leveraging tech for good & more, developed and
produced by field experts.

Sk ills: Those participting in our programs work in a diversified virtual
environment ; focusing on topics like digital media, women?s issues, gender
equality, journalism, ICTs and much more. Mentorship is another key part
of our program. Participants are connected with mentors through Ananke?s
partnerships with organizations like WomeninTechPk (a community of
7000+ tech leaders), Women?s Digital League, Circle Women and Women
Engineers Pakistan. They also get an opportunity to watch female leaders
talk about their journey through our VIMEO Channel Power Talk.

Leader sh ip: Through Ananke?s array of programs, women and girls are
given opportunities to hone their skills through critical thinking, use of
digital technologies, 21st century skills, capacity and confidence building,
peer mentoring, working as teams and much more. A diverse environment
helps them gain confidence and acquire a very broad vision.

M EET THE
WLF2021 TEAM

Sabin Muzaffar - Founder Mehr F Husain - Founder
Zuka Books - www.zukabooks.com
Executive Editor,
Ananke - www.anankemag.com WLF2021 Event Partner

WLF 2021 Organizer | Event Director

SPECIAL THANKS

Naima Rashid Kirthi Jayakumar Taiba Abbas

Aekta Kapoor Nida Usman Chaudhary Laaleen Sukhera

Book l et Desi gn &
Con t en t

Sabin M uzaffar

I mages
Pi xabay
U nsplash

Images shared by part icipant s

EVENT SCHEDULE

# W LF20 21 W omen in Lit erat ure Fest ival 20 21 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

DAY 1

Panelists names are in alphabetical order Openi ng Ceremony

11:00 AM-11:15 AM UAE| 07:00 AM-07:15 AM GMT

K eyn ot e | On Decolonialism, I ntersectionality &

Literature

11:20 A M - 11:40 A M UA E | 0 7:20 A M - 0 7:40 A M GM T
Gu est Speak er Dr Diana J. Fox, PhD
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Pan el | Women's Literary History: 100 Years Through A

Gender Lens

11:50 AM-12:35 PM UAE| 07:50 AM-08:35 AM GMT
Gu est Speak er s Faiqa Mansab, Lakshana Palat, Taiba Abbas
M oder at or Anmol Irfan

T al k i n g Book s| Red Drapes And Other Stories

Nwa Rizvi (Author), Taiba Abbas (Publisher)
12:45 AM-01:15 PM UAE| 08:45 AM-09:15 AM GMT

Pan el | Translating Women: TheI mpact of Gender And

Translated Work

01:25 PM-02:10 PM UAE| 09:25 AM-10:10 AM GMT

Gu est Speak er s Dr. Amina Yaqin, Mina Malik, Dr. Nukhbah Langah, +1

M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Pan el | Post- colonial Literature&Women

02:20 PM-03:05 PM UAE| 10:20 AM-11:05 AM GMT
Gu est Speak er s Aanchal Malhotra, Dr. Amin Yaqin, Saadia Gardezi, Soniah Kamal

M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Fi resi de Ch at| I n Conversation

03:15 PM-04:00 PM UAE| 11:15 AM-12:00 PM GMT
Gu est Speak er Sheela Reddy

M oder at or Moni Mohsin

Recor ded session : Th ese session s can on ly be view ed on
An an ke's Facebook page: w w w.f acebook .com / an an kem ag

# W LF20 21 Zoom session : gu est s can at t en d Zoom session via lin k
pr ovided t p r egist er ed at t en dees. Th is w ill also be
live-st r eam ed on An an ke's Facebook page

DAY 1 W omen in Lit erat ure Fest ival 20 21 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

T al k i n g Book s | TheEmancipation Of Farzana Siddiqui

04:10 PM-04:40 PM UAE| 12:10 PM-12:40 PM GMT
Gu est Speak er : Radhika Maira Tabrez (Author)
M oder at or s Fatima Omar, Shahenda ElSayed

Pan el | I ntersections Of Gender Equality, Feminism, Women?s

Rights, Migration, Politics, PeaceAnd Society On Literature

04:50 PM-05:35 PM UAE| 12:50 PM-01:35 PM GMT

Gu est Speak er s Soniah Kamal, Radhika Tabrez, Mandy Sanghera, Shazaf Haider, Yousra
MSamodirer at or Kirthi Jayakumar

Pan el | Political Literature: Women With Their Literary

Swords

05:45 PM-06:30 PM UAE| 01:45 AM-02:30 AM GMT
Gu est Speak er s Anupama Jain, Arpita Das, Mahnaz Rehman, Zahra Hameed
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Fi resi de Ch at + Tal k i ng Book s | I n Conversation

06:40 PM-07:40 PM UAE| 02:40 PM-03:40 PM GMT

Gu est Speak er Leonora Miano

M oder at or Dr. Amina Yaqin

Fi resi de Ch at + Tal k i ng Book s | I n Conversation

07:50 PM-08:50 PM UAE| 03:50 PM-04:50 PM GMT

Gu est Speak er Nathalie Etoke

M oder at or Dr. Amina Yaqin

Fi resi de Ch at | I n Conversation

09:00 PM-09:30 PM UAE| 05:00 PM-05:30 PM GMT

Gu est Speak er Phyllis Chesler

M oder at or Mandy Sanghera

EVENT SCHEDULE

# W LF20 21 W omen in Lit erat ure Fest ival 20 21 | M arch 31st , 20 21

DAY 2

Panelists names are in alphabetical order Day 2 Openi ng

11:0 0 A M -11:0 5 A M U A E | 0 7:0 0 A M -0 7:0 5 A M G M T

K eyn ote | Changing TheNarrative

11:0 5 A M -11:25 A M U A E | 0 7:0 5 A M -0 7:25 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Sutapa Basu
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Tal k i ng Book s| Skyfall

11:30 A M -12:0 0 PM U A E | 0 7:30 A M -0 8:0 0 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er Saba Karim Khan (Author)
M oder at or Taiba Abbas

Pan el | Rediscovering LiteratureUnder A Gender Lens

12:0 5 A M -12:50 PM U A E | 0 8:0 5 A M -0 8:50 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Amrita Mukherjee, Arpita Das, Piyusha Vir, Sabdezar Irfan
M oder at or Nida Usman Chaudhary

Pub l i sh er's Corner| Zubaan Books

0 1:0 0 PM -0 1:45 PM U A E | 0 9:0 0 A M -0 9:45 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er s Ameena Saiyid, Mehr F Husain, Taiba Abbas

M oder at or TBD

Speci al Ev ent| Joy of Urdu

0 2:0 0 PM -0 2:30 PM U A E | 10 :0 0 A M -10 :30 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er Zarminae Ansari

Pan el | TheFemaleLiterati: Documenting HERstories

0 2:35 PM -0 3:20 PM U A E | 10 :35 A M -11:20 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er s Amrita Mukherjee, Faiqa Mansab, Kirthi Jayakumar, Mini Shivakumar
Menon, Piyusha Vir
M oder at or Radhika Maira Tabrez

Pan el | Authors' AlliancePakistan

0 3:30 PM -0 4:15 PM U A E | 11:30 A M -12:15 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Laaleen Sukhera, Mehr F Husain, Nida Usman Chaudhary,
MSaoradNeraavet oedr Awais Khan

K eyn ot e | Rural Realities

0 4:25 PM -0 4:45 PM U A E | 12:25 PM -12:45 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er Aysha Baqir

Pan el | Women's Voices, Lost in Translation

0 4:50 PM -0 5:35 PM U A E | 12:50 A M -0 1:35 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Naima Rashid, Rabbania Shirjeel, Zarminae Ansari
M oder at or (TBD)

Pen .Paper.Pub l i sh | A Writer's Publishing Journey

0 5:45 PM -0 6:15 PM U A E | 0 1:45 PM -0 2:15 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Deepti Menon, Karen Osman, Lakshana Palat
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Pen.Paper.Pub l i sh | Seagull Books

0 6:20 PM -0 6:50 PM U A E | 0 2:20 PM -0 2:50 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Sunandini Banerjee
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Speci al Ev en t | Showcasing Seagull School of Publishing

0 6:50 PM -0 7:15 PM U A E | 0 2:50 PM -0 3:15 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Sunandini Banerjee, Bishan Samaddar

T al k i n g Book s | TheBurning Champa

0 7:20 PM -0 7:50 PM U A E | 0 3:20 PM -0 3:50 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Zahra Hameed
M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Pan el | Silenceof theLambs: Traversing Through Gender,

Violence, SilenceAnd ?Heroic Masculinity?I n Fiction

0 7:55 PM -0 8:40 PM U A E | 0 3:55 PM -0 4:40 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Mahnaz Rehman, Farzana Doctor, Aysha Baqir, Shazaf Fatima Haider
M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Pan el | Editors As Enablers Of TheLiterary World

0 8:50 PM -0 9:35 PM U A E | 0 4:50 PM -0 5:35 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Rosemarie Hudson, Wajiha Hyder, Mehvash Amin,
M oder at or Naima Rashid

Pan el | I nclusiveRegency Narratives I n TheDigital Era

0 9:50 PM -10 :35 PM U A E | 0 5:50 PM -0 6:35 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Amanda-Rae Prescott, Amy Patterson, Bianca Hernandez, Christina Boyd
M oder at or Laaleen Sukhera

EVENT SCHEDULE

# W LF20 21 W omen in Lit erat ure Fest ival 20 21| A pril 1st , 20 21

DAY 3

Panelists names are in alphabetical order K eyn ot e | TheFutureof LiteratureI n theAgeOf Technology

11:0 0 A M -11:20 A M U A E | 0 7:0 0 A M -0 7:20 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er Ana Serrano Telleria

Speci al Ev en t| On Her Blindness

11:25 A M -11:55 PM U A E | 0 7:25 A M -0 7:55 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er Rashin Choudhry
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Pan el | Bloggers' Bay

12:0 0 A M -12:45 PM U A E | 0 8:0 0 A M -0 8:45 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er s Diyora Shadijanova, Jina Moore, Kirthi Jayakumar, Misha Ali Farhana

M oder at or Anmol Irfan

Fi resi de Ch at| I nclusiveFiction

12:55 PM -0 1:25 PM U A E | 0 8:55 A M -0 9:25 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er Saba Karim Khan
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Pan el | TheFutureOf LiteratureI n TheTechnological Age

0 1:30 PM -0 2:10 PM U A E | 0 9:30 A M -10 :10 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er Amrita Mukherjee, Anupama Jain, Sabdezar Irfan
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

Pan el | Role&I mpact of Feminist LiteratureI n the4th

I ndustrial Revolution

0 2:20 PM -0 3:0 5 PM U A E | 10 :20 A M -11:0 5 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er s Juhi Javed Husain, Nighat Dad, Radhika Maira Tabrez
M oder at or Aekta Kapoor

T al k i n g Book s | Everything Changed After That

0 3:15 PM -0 3:45 PM U A E | 11:15 A M -11:45 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Aekta Kapoor
M oder at or Eliza Makhmakhanov

Pan el | Globalizing LiteratureBy Women Through Translations

0 3:50 PM -0 4:35 PM U A E | 11:50 PM -12:35 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Ayesha Kidwai, Gowri Vijaykumar, Manisha Chaudhry
M oder at or Jenny Bhatt

Pan el | Publishing I n TheDigital Age

0 4:45 PM -0 5:30 PM U A E | 12:45 A M -0 5:30 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Aekta Kapoor, Taiba Abbas
M oder at or Arsalan Athar

Work sh op | SpeculativeFutures

0 5:45 PM -0 6:15 PM U A E | 0 1:45 PM -0 2:15 PM G M T

Speculative design contests oppressive official realities to envision and manifest alternative
ones? ones that would benefit the many. Following a model by Dunne and Raby, our
workshop will invite participants to generate more inclusive futures in literature.
Facilit at or : Dina Benbrahim

Pan el | Writing Across Form And Space: ThePoetics Of

Womanhood I n Pakistan - TheAleph Review Panel

0 6:45 PM -0 7:30 PM U A E | 0 2:45 PM -0 3:30 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Aisha Hamid, Ayesha Raees, Ilona Yusuf, Afshan Shafi
M oder at or Mehvash Amin

Fi resi de Ch at| Today's Children Literature- Going Beyond

Gender Stereotypes

0 7:45PM -0 8:15 PM U A E | 0 3:45 PM -0 4:15 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Angela Joy, Baela Raza Jamil

K ey n ot e | TheCourageToBelieveI n Our Own Stories

0 8:20 PM -0 8:50 PM U A E | 0 4:20 PM -0 4:50 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Naima Rashid

Fi resi de Ch at | On Poets &Poetics

0 9:0 0 PM -0 9:30 PM U A E | 0 5:0 0 PM -0 5:30 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Arundhathi Subramaniam
M oder at or Fatima Ijaz

K ey n ot e | On Volition, Violence&Villification

0 9:35 PM -0 9:55 PM U A E | 0 5:30 PM -0 5:55 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er Saurav Dutt

K eyn ote | TheFlip Side

10 :0 0 PM -10 :20 PM U A E | 0 6:0 0 PM -0 6:20 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er Purva Grover

DA Y 1 | March 30, 2021

Bl ock I | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 11.30 A M ? 12.35 PM UA E
M arch 30th , 2021, Tuesday

Block 1 Segm en t s + Zoom Lin k s
Pan el: Women's Literary History: 100 Years of Literature Through a Gender Lens

Pan elist s: Taiba Abbas, Lakshana Palat, Faiqa Mansab
M oder at or : Anmol Irfan

Pan el Tim e: 11:20 AM-11:40 AM UAE | 07:20 AM-07:40 AM GMT
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 81399421762?pw d =Rm 5zOHZp aWVTZlp m N2JM cXZoOHpzd z09
Meet ing ID: 813 9942 1762
Passcode: 579140

Bl ock I I | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 01.00 PM ? 04.00 PM
Block II Segm en t s + Zoom Lin k s

Pan el: Translating Women: The Impact Of Gender And Translated Work
Pan elist s: Dr Nukhbah Langah, Mina Malik, Dr Amina Yaqin
M oder at or : Mehr F Husain

Pan el Tim e: 01:25 PM-02:10 PM UAE | 09:25 AM-10:10 AM GMT
Pan el:Postcolonial Literature And Women

Pan elist s: Saadia Gardezi, Sonia Kamal, Dr Amina Yaqin, Panchal Malhotra
M oder at or : Mehr F Husain

Pan el Tim e: 02:20 PM-03:05 PM UAE | 10:20 AM-11:05 AM GMT
Fir eside Ch at : A Conversation Between Sheela Reddy and Moni Mohsin

Session Tim e: 03:15 PM-04:00 PM UAE | 11:15 AM-12:00 PM GMT
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 83735435114?pw d =S0xFeWZh NUw 0Qkh HTGJjT0Rsd lp 0d z09
Meet ing ID: 837 3543 5114
Passcode: 392449

Bl ock I I I | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 04.00 ? 06.45 PM UA E
Block III Segm en t s + Zoom

Talk in g Book s: The Emancipation of Farzana Siddiqui
Gu est : Radhika Maira Tabrez

M oder at or s: Fatima Omar, Shahenda ElSayed
Session Tim e: 04:10 PM-04:40 PM UAE | 12:10 PM-12:40 PM GMT

DA Y 1 | March 30, 2021

Pan el: Intersections of Gender Equality, Feminism, Women?s Rights, Migration, Politics, Peace And
Society on Literature

Pan elist s: Soniah Kamal, Radhika Tabrez, Mandy Sanghera, Shazaf Haider, Yousra Samir
M oder at or : Kirthi Jayakumar

Pan el Tim e: 04:50 PM-05:35 PM UAE | 12:50 PM-01:35 PM GMT
Pan el: Political Literature: Women With Their Literary Swords

Pan elist s: Anupama Jain, Arpita Das, Mahnaz Rehman, Zahra Hameed
M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar

Segm en t Tim e: 05:45 PM-06:30 PM UAE | 01:45 AM-02:30 AM GMT
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 81780400494?pw d =Qm 1vcGVDVHZHVS9LVm t VRFVDRE9IZz09
Meet ing ID: 817 8040 0494
Passcode: 042954

Bl ock I V | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 06.30 ? 10.30 PM UA E
Block IV Segm en t s + Zoom

Fir eside Ch at + Talk in g Book s: A Conversation Between Leonora Miano and Dr. Amina Yaqin
Session Tim e: 06:40 PM-07:40 PM UAE | 02:40 PM-03:40 PM GMT

Fir eside Ch at + Talk in g Book s: A Conversation Between Nathalie Etoke and Dr. Amina Yaqin
Session Tim e: 07:50 PM-08:50 PM UAE | 03:50 PM-04:50 PM GMT

Fir eside Ch at: A Conversation Between Phyllis Chesler and Mandy Sanghera
Session Tim e: 09:00 PM-09:30 PM UAE | 05:00 PM-05:30 PM GMT
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 81775814875?pw d =bzFEQn BvNElEb Ut 4US9PSWd QN3Np Zz09
Meet ing ID: 817 7581 4875
Passcode: 840251

DA Y 2 | March 31, 2021

Bl ock I | Day 2 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 12.00 PM ? 01.45 PM UA E
M arch 31st, 2021, Wednesday
Block I Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: Rediscovering Literature Under a Gender Lens
Pan elist s: Piyusha Vir, Amrita Mukherjee, Arpita Das, Sabdezar Irfan

M oder at or : Nida Usman Chaudhary
Pan el Tim e: 12:05 AM -12:50 PM UAE | 08:05 AM -08:50 AM GM T

Zu baan Book s Pan el: Publishers?Corner
Pan elist s: Ameena Saiyid, Mehr Husain, Taiba Abbas

M oder at or : Urvashi Butalia
Pan el Tim e: 01:00 PM -01:45 PM UAE | 09:00 AM -09:45 AM GM T

Zoom Det ails:
h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 82289324832?pw d =TzV1SUJQTm h 2REp 0K2d UM FJUaHczd z09

Meeting ID: 822 8932 4832
Passcode: 698096

Bl ock I I | Day 2 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 02.30 PM ? 04.45 PM UA E
Block II Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: The Female Literati: Documenting Herstories
Pan elist s: Piyusha Vir, Faiqa Mansab, Amrita Mukherjee, Kirthi Jayakumar, Mini S

Menon
M oder at or : Radhika Maira Tabrez
Pan el Tim e: 02:35 PM -03:20 PM UAE | 10:35 AM -11:20 AM GM T
Au t h or s?Allian ce Pak ist an Pan el: Women And Publishing: Challenges And

Opportunities in Pakistan
Pan elist s: Laaleen Sukhera, Nida Usman Ch, Sara Naveed, Mehr F Husain

M oder at or : Awais Khan
Pan el Tim e: 03:30 PM -04:15 PM UAE | 11:30 AM -12:15 PM GM T

Zoom Det ails:
h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 87370374525?pw d =aWlxSUZBan Qzb GRBYn QzNXI4ZENPUT09

Meeting ID: 873 7037 4525
Passcode: 556077

DA Y 2 | March 31, 2021

Bl ock I I I | Day 2 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 04.30 PM ? 06.15 PM UA E
Block III Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: Women?s Voices: Lost in Translation
Pan elist s: Naima Rashid, Rabbania Shirjeel, Zarminae Ansari

M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar
Pan el Tim e: 04:50PM -05:35 PM UAE | 12:50 AM -01:35 PM GM T

Pan el: A Writer 's Publishing Journey
Pan elist s: Deepti Menon, Lakshana Palat, Karen Osman

M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar
Pan el Tim e: 05:45 PM -06:15 PM UAE | 01:45 PM -02:15 PM GM T

Zoom Det ails:
h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 87195504274?pw d =b m Vq TXZzQlNXU3N5ZUZh cUd CRVd w Zz09

Meeting ID: 871 9550 4274
Passcode: 000562

Bl ock I V | Day 2 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 06.00 ? 07.15 PM UA E
Block IV Segm en t s + Zoom

Pen .Paper .Pu blish :Seagull Books
Gu est : Sunandini Banerjee - Editorial Director & Chief Designer Seagull Books

M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar
Session Tim e: 06:20 PM -06:50 PM UAE | 02:20 PM -02:50 PM GM T

Special Even t : In Focus: Seagull School of Publishing
Pan elist s: Sunandini Banerjee, Bishan Samaddar
M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar

Session Tim e: 06:50 PM -07:15 PM UAE | 02:50 PM -03:15 PM GM T
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 86221928061?pw d =NjM vb Gh yeENw L2ZaRUM zV2Z2Zkh QZz09
Meeting ID: 862 2192 8061
Passcode: 755699

DA Y 2 | March 31, 2021

Bl ock V | Day 2 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 07.00 ? 10.00 PM UA E
Block V Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: Silence of the Lambs: Traversing through gender, violence, silence and ?heroic
masculinity?in fiction

Pan elist s: Mahnaz Rehman, Farzana Doctor, Aysha Baqir, Shazaf Fatima Haider
M oder at or : Mehr F Husain

Pan el Tim e: 07:55 PM -08:40 PM UAE | 03:55 PM -04:40 PM GM T
Pan el: Editors As Enablers of the Literary World

Pan elist s: Rosemarie Hudson, Mehvash Amin, Wajiha Hyder
M oder at or : Naima Rashid

Pan el Tim e: 08:50 PM -09:35 PM UAE | 04:50 PM -05:35 PM GM T
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 83717525511?pw d =ejgyM Ct oTC9aUGh p YSt PcXp m TG1EZz09
Meeting ID: 837 1752 5511
Passcode: 262381

DA Y 3 | April 1, 2021

Bl ock I | Day 3 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 12.00 PM ? 01.00 PM UA E
A pri l 1st, 2021, Th ursday
Block 1 Segm en t s + Zoom

Keyn ot e Session : The Future of Literature In The Age Of Technology
Speak er : Ana Serrano Telleria

Session Tim e: 11:00 AM -11:20 PM UAE | 07:00 AM -07:20 AM GM T
Special Even t : On Her Blindness

Gu est : Rashin Choudhry - The Fred Hollows Foundation
M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar

Session Tim e: 11:25 AM -11:55 PM UAE | 07:25 AM -07:55 AM GM T
Pan el:Bloggers?Bay

Pan elist s: Diyora Shadijanova, Jina Moore, Kirthi Jayakumar, Misha Ali Farhana
M oder at or : Anmol Irfan

Pan el Tim e:12:00 AM-12:45 PM UAE | 08:00 AM-08:45 AM GMT
Zoom Det ails:

h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 89799123301?pw d =WkVOYlY0aDh p b jRlaExM ZTNjNkt t d z09
Meeting ID: 897 9912 3301
Passcode: 255318

Bl ock I I | Day 3 | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 01.30 ? 04.45 PM UA E
Block II Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: The Future of Literature in the Technological Age
Pan elist s: Anupama Jain, Amrita Mukherjee, Sabdezar Irfan

M oder at or : Sabin Muzaffar
Pan el Tim e 01:30 PM -02:10 PM UAE | 09:30 AM -10:10 AM GM T
Pan el: Role and Impact of Feminist Literature in the 4th Industrial Revolution

Pan elist s: Radhika Tabrez, Nighat Dad, Juhi Javed Husain
M oder at or : Aekta Kapoor

Pan el Tim in g: 02:20 PM -03:05 PM UAE | 10:20 AM -11:05 AM GM T

DA Y 3 | April 1, 2021

Talk in g Book s: Everything Changed After That
Gu est : Aekta Kapoor

M oder at or : Eliza Makhmakhanova
Pan el Tim e: 03:15 PM -03:45 PM UAE | 11:15 AM -11:45 PM GM T
Zu baan Book s Pan el: Globalizing Women in Literature Through Translations
Pan elist s: Anjum Katyal, Ayesha Kidwai, Manisha Chaudhry, Gowri Vijaykumar

M oder at or : Jen n y Bh at t
Pan el Tim e: 03:50 PM -04:35 PM UAE | 11:50 PM -12:35 PM GM T

Zoom Det ails:
h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 84689068736?pw d =ZUg0OTB3S2xh Y3NkRXR2VGVKZlBp QT09

Meeting ID: 846 8906 8736
Passcode: 511360

Bl ock I I I | WLF2021 Li v e-stream Sessi ons | 04.30 ? 08.30 PM UA E
Block III Segm en t s + Zoom

Pan el: Publishing in the Digital Age
Pan elist s: Aekta Kapoor, Taiba Abbas

M oder at or : Arsalan Athar
Segm en t Tim in g: 04:45 PM -05:30 PM UAE | 12:45 AM -05:30 PM GM T

Wor k sh op: Speculative Futures
Facilit at or : Dina Benbrahim

Segm en t Tim in g: 05:45 PM -06:15 PM UAE | 01:45 PM -02:15 PM GM T
Fir eside Ch at : Today's Children's Literature - Going Beyond Gender Stereotype

Gu est s: Baela Raza Jamil, Angela Joy
Segm en t Tim in g: 07:45PM -08:15 PM UAE | 03:45 PM -04:15 PM GM T

Zoom Det ails:
h t t p s:/ / u s02w eb .zoom .u s/ j/ 87905238784?pw d =Wlp NUXBVd E5r UXJh NVh q R0kxVFlxQT09

Meeting ID: 879 0523 8784
Passcode: 495391

Ensuri ng a Saf e V i rtual Space For
I ncl usi v e Di scourse

Ananke is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all attendees and
stakeholders. By registering to attend Ananke?s Women in Literature Festival
2021, you have committed to our event?s code of conduct. But just to serve as a
soft reminder, below is the list of expected behaviors of all attendees during
the event:

- Behave in a way as to create a safe and supportive environment for all of
Ananke?s virtual event participants, including attendees, moderators,
speakers and organizers.

- Do not engage in disruptive speech or behavior or otherwise interfere
with the virtual event or other individuals' participation in the event.

- Do not engage in any form of discrimination, bullying or harassment of
any kind, including online, emotional or sexual harassment; hate speech;
or rude behavior of any kind .An an k e h as a zer o-t oler an ce policy f or
discr im in at ion or h ar assm en t . Any participant who does not follow
these guidelines will be removed immediately from the event.

- Comply with instructions of the moderator and any Ananke virtual event
staff, as well as all applicable laws.

- Show respect, tolerance and understanding of others' backgrounds and
beliefs.

You'll be able to access the segments via Zoom once the event goes live at
11:00 AM UAE or 7:00 AM GMT on Tuesday, March 30th, 2020.

PLEASE NOTE: All participants, attendees and stakeholders can report any
concerns or inappropriate content or behavior to ANANKE
at m ed ia@an an kem ag.com .

Sessions

www.anank emag.com

3204 Lat if a Tow er
Sh eik h Zayed Road
Du b ai
PO Box 125344 Du bai,
UAE
M edia@an an k em ag.com

PAN ELS

D ay 1 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

The panels are designed and developed to discuss how the Women in
Literature Festival can positively and impactfully highlight works of
literature by women ? translated or otherwise, to identify problems and
also encourage a dialogue about the way forward.

Wom en's
Lit er ar y Hist or y:
100 Years of
Literature Under
a Gender Lens

11:50 A M -12:35 PM U A E | 0 7:50 A M -0 8:35 A M G M T

Gu est Speak er s Faiqa Mansab, Lakshana Palat, Taiba Abbas

M oder at or Anmol Irfan

The conversation highlights key topics for instance; is there a
feminine voice in literature? With male-centric ideologies shaping our
world, women?s voice, agency and psychology have been interpreted
according to masculine principles. From Ismat Chughtai, Simone de
Beauvoir, Virginia Wolf, Maya Angelou, Nawal el Saadawi, Mary Beard
to Gillian Flynn, these women have played a pivotal role in creating
and developing female identities. The first of the many sessions
throughout the three-day literature festival, this segment takes a
retrospective walk back in time to explore and trace women?s voice as
well as agency through the written word in the past 100 years.

PAN EL D ay 1 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

Tr an slat in g
Wom en:
The Impact of
Gender and
Translated Work

0 1:25 PM -0 2:10 PM U A E | 0 9:25 A M -10 :10 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Dr. Amina Yaqin, Mina Malik, Dr. Nukhbah Langah, +1
M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Does gender factor in when translating a work of literature? Does it
impact and influence linguistic styles, perceptions and interpretations?
Regional literature and especially that by female writers and authors is
more than likely to fall prey to linguistic resistance. This panel strives to
investigate the gender shift in translation from one language to
another. It also broaches the argument that ?translation does not
happen in a vacuum, but in a continuum..[as] part of an on-going
process of intercultural transfer.?

# WLF2021

D ay 1 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

Post -colon ial
Lit erat ure and
Wom en

0 2:20 PM -0 3:0 5 PM U A E | 10 :20 A M -11:0 5 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Aanchal Malhotra, Dr. Amin Yaqin, Saadia Gardezi,
Soniah Kamal
M oder at or Mehr F Husain
When we broach the subject of post colonialism especially with the
help of literature and history, what becomes transparent is how
women have been oppressed by both patriarchy and colonial powers.
The question that arises here is have we really rid ourselves of colonial
era in the truest sense of the word? Defined as ?the way in which
unequal international relations of economic, political, military and
cultural powers are maintained,?can we really claim that colonialism is
over ?
The panel seeks to explore how the double-edged sword of women?s
marginalization across Africa, Middle East and Asia due to race and
gender within the paradigms of colonialism and post- have been
transmitted and translated into literature. The discussion will also
investigate how a colonized and/or an enslaved woman?s spiritual and
physical self and identity have been presented in literary works
especially by women writers.

PAN ELS

D ay 1 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

In t er sect ion s of
Gender Equality,
Feminism, Women?s
Rights, Migration,

Politics, Peace,
Society &
Lit erat ure

0 4:50 PM -0 5:35 PM U A E | 12:50 PM -0 1:35 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Soniah Kamal, Radhika Tabrez, Mandy Sanghera,

Shazaf Haider, Yousra Samir

M oder at or Kirthi Jayakumar

The panel seeks to explore how multiple social constructs and
identities including feminism, women?s rights, gender, race and
ethnicities interact and intersect to understand the heterogeneity of a
woman?s lived experience in literature in the context of politics, peace,
migration and society.

# WLF2021

D ay 1 | M arch 30 t h, 20 21

Polit ical
Lit erat ure:
Women With
Their Literary

Swords

0 5:45 PM -0 6:30 PM U A E | 0 1:45 A M -0 2:30 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Anupama Jain, Arpita Das, Mahnaz Rehman,
Zahra Hameed
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

This panel delves deep into the topic of how women of letters have
used their literary swords to define feminist agency; defying
convention and norms through the power of the written word to
postulate about gynocentrism, political mobilization, contestations,
opportunities and dissent. How does literature present and interpret
social progress vis-à-vis women representing themselves vs men
representing women. Do modern and post modern literature serve as
tools of ?Vindication of Rights of Women??

PAN EL

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

Rediscover in g
Lit erat ure

Under a Gender
Lens

12:0 5 A M -12:50 PM U A E | 0 8:0 5 A M -0 8:50 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Amrita Mukherjee, Arpita Das, Piyusha Vir,
Sabdezar Irfan
M oder at or Nida Usman Chaudhary

The canons of literature have mostly been judged by men with
polemics paying little attention to women?s writing. While a handful of
women authors have been given stature of importance by these men,
many a work has been dismissed as whimsical, sentimental bordering
to melodramatic. This panel seeks to explore and rediscover the
breadth and beauty of literature with all its dimensions, nuances,
idiosyncratic splendor with special considerations of a woman?s public
voice vis-à-vis society?s cultural and misogynistic assumptions.

# WLF2021

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

0 2:35 PM -0 3:20 PM U A E | 10 :35 A M -11:20 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Amrita Mukherjee, Faiqa Mansab, Kirthi Jayakumar,
Mini Shivakumar Menon, Piyusha Vir
M oder at or Radhika Maira Tabrez

Th e Fem ale Lit er at i
Documenting Herstories

Dissatisfied with how they have been cast in HIS-tory, the roles
assigned to them at birth and stereotypes attached throughout their
lives, have these female literati triggered an honest conversation
about the status of women through their creative works? The panel
also sheds light on how literature by women present a unique voice
against patriarchal and feudalistic oppression as well as a monolithic
understanding of feminism.

PAN ELS

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

0 3:30 PM -0 4:15 PM U A E | 11:30 A M -12:15 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Laaleen Sukhera, Mehr F Husain, Nida Usman
Chaudhary, Sara Naveed
M oder at or Awais Khan

Panel Curated by Authors' AlliancePakistan

Wom en An d Pu blish in g

Challenges And Opportunities in Pakistan

This panel examines publishing woes, the dearth of literary agents,
rampant copyright violations, and the increasingly significant role of
female publishers in Pakistan. This discussion seeks solutions to
these issues and more in the sociopolitical context of storytelling,
self-publishing, and male dominance in decision-making roles. Set
within the platform of the newly founded Authors' Alliance Pakistan,
this panel focuses on the need for proponents of literature to claim
spaces, and their collective efforts and objectives in supporting the
publishing landscape in the country.

# WLF2021

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

Wom en's Voices, Lost in Translation

0 4:50 PM -0 5:35 PM U A E | 12:50 A M -0 1:35 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Naima Rashid, Rabbania Shirjeel, Zarminae Ansari
M oder at or Farah Kaleem

Looking at literature from a global perspective, the impact and role of
translations to expand the scope as well as reach of audience and
readership cannot be ignored. When it comes to translated works of
literature by women, there is a yawning gap with fewer booksby
female authors making the cut. While some writers become renowned
in their home countries, their works and brilliance is seldom
celebrated outside or across English-speaking audiences. The panel
strives to initiate a conversation on identifying challenges and moving
f o r w ar d .

PAN ELS

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

Silen ce of t h e Lam bs:

Traversing through
gender, violence,
silence and ?heroic
masculinity?in fiction

0 7:55 PM -0 8:40 PM U A E | 0 3:55 PM -0 4:40 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er Mahnaz Rehman, Farzana Doctor, Aysha Baqir, Shazaf

Fatima Haider

M oder at or Mehr F Husain

Do male writers entrench and female writers debunk patriarchy and gender
norms? Are gender-related issues and oppression depicted differently? The
panel explores different perspectives of violence and women through works
of literature with a special focus on eastern societies. The discussion also
closely looks at silence as a social construct; its depiction and presentation
in works of literature from masculine as well as feminine dimensions. With
society perpetuating systematic silencing of women, has it ? or to what
extent, has it silenced the female character and those who bring these
protagonists to life?

The panel will also discuss the notion of heroic masculinity as has been
portrayed in literature. The journey of heroism, how it has been identified
with masculinity, for example the ?valiant?Paris kidnapping Helen from the
clutches of her tyrant husband Agamemnon to its present day
interpretations that finds itself manifesting in feminism and femininity.

# WLF2021

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

Edit or s as En abler s

Of The Literary World

0 8:50 PM -0 9:35 PM U A E | 0 4:50 PM -0 5:35 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Rosemarie Hudson, Wajiha Hyder, Mehvash Amin,

M oder at or Naima Rashid
Editors play a vital role in an author ?s career, discovering and
nurturing their gifts while holding a space for creation.In this panel,
we?ll discuss the incredible work they do in creating spaces with
intention and curating conversations that are not always welcomed in
mainstream discourse. Correcting the imbalance in the literary
ecosystem demands creating more of these alternative spaces or
giving a new direction to those that exist. We will meet three editors,
cover the mission that drives them, the challenges they surmount,
and what lessons we can take away from their experience. We will
also ask them some burning questions that writers have always
wanted to ask editors.

PAN ELS

D ay 2 | M arch 31st , 20 21

Panel Curated By The Jane Austen Society of
Pakistan (JASP)
In clu sive Regen cy Nar r at ives

For The Digital Era

0 9:50 PM -10 :35 PM U A E | 0 5:50 PM -0 6:35 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er Amanda-Rae Prescott, Amy Patterson, Bianca Hernandez,

Christina Boyd

M oder at or Laaleen Sukhera

From Jane Austen to Bridgerton, a panel of experts ? Christina Boyd,
Bianca Hernandez. Amy Patterson and Amanda-Rae Prescott - discuss
diversity and inclusion in recent period drama in the context of
representation, commercial fiction and pop culture.
Moderated by Laaleen Sukhera ? author, communications consultant,
and founder of JASP.

# WLF2021

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

12:0 0 A M -12:45 PM U A E | 0 8:0 0 A M -0 8:45 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Diyora Shadijanova, Jina Moore, Kirthi Jayakumar,
Misha Ali Farhana
M oder at or Anmol Irfan

Blogger s' Bay

As we see a fast shift towards digitization, there?s been a fear of losing
out on literature and a love for books. Blogger ?s Bay explores what
can happen when we bring the two together. The conversation
focuses around the rise of digital platforms in allowing for a more
gender diverse conversation on global literature and with a panel
from across the world, we will be taking into account how the world is
growing increasingly smaller and why bringing in global gender
narratives is crucial to making the industry grow.

PAN ELS

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

Th e Fu t u r e of Lit er at u r e

In the Age of Technology

0 1:30 PM -0 2:10 PM U A E | 0 9:30 A M -10 :10 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er Amrita Mukherjee, Anupama Jain, Sabdezar Irfan
M oder at or Sabin Muzaffar

From Quora to Wikipedia, Kindle to Goodreads, technology has
changed or rather evolved the way literature is created and
consumed. The panel seeks to explore the impact of technology not
just on the written word but also society. Breaking boundaries, is
technology the new Guttenberg that enables an exchange of
thoughts, vision and expression? Or is it playing a devil?s advocate
where sonorous sounds of the written words cannot be filtered from
the boisterous noise? The main question thus asked is what is the
future of literature in the age of technology?

# WLF2021

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

Role an d Im pact of Fem in ist Lit er at u r e
In the Fourth Industrial Revolutions

0 2:20 PM -0 3:0 5 PM U A E | 10 :20 A M -11:0 5 A M G M T
Gu est Speak er s Juhi Javed Husain, Nighat Dad, Radhika Maira Tabrez
M oder at or Aekta Kapoor

With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, the discussion
seeks to discover the socio-political context of feminist literature
emerging in the 21st century. Can the transformative potential of
technology sanction and endorse feminist socio-political and literary
agenda of inclusion?
The panel will shed light on how literature by women in the digital age
presents a unique voice and agency against patriarchal and feudalistic
oppression as well as a monolithic understanding of feminism.

PAN ELS

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

Panel Curated by Zubaan
Books
Globalizin g Wom en in
Lit erat ure

Through Translations

0 3:50 PM -0 4:35 PM U A E | 11:50 PM -12:35 PM G M T

Gu est Speak er s Ayesha Kidwai, Gowri Vijaykumar, Manisha Chaudhry

M oder at or Jenny Bhatt

'I have the feelings of a woman, but I have only the language of men.'
This phrase from Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd, leads
us to the questions we would like to explore in this panel. In the last
several decades, since writing by women began to make an
appearance on the world stage, translation has been crucial to taking
such works across borders and languages. Interesting questions have
followed: can only women translate women? Should only women
translate women? One of the most important works for women
across the world, Simone de Beauvoir 's The Second Sex, came to the
English speaking world through a translation done by a man, and it
wasn't until sixty years after it was published that the substantial
deletions made by the translator came to light. What might we read
from this? Does gender play a role in translation? A woman writer, a
woman translator, how do they negotiate a language constructed
mainly by men? In this panel, we bring together translators and
writers to debate some of these questions.

# WLF2021

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

Pu blish in g in t h e
Digital Age

0 4:45 PM -0 5:30 PM U A E | 12:45 A M -0 5:30 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Aekta Kapoor, Taiba Abbas
M oder at or Arsalan Athar
From the Gutenberg to Kindle, publishing has a longstanding
socio-cultural and political history. Indeed we are born free, but
everywhere in chains and the written word ? its creation and production
? has played a pivotal role in unshackling humanity. The role and
impact of publishing has grown manifold with advancements made,
this century is no different. In fact, it has only accelerated
engagement, cultivating global human connections and therefore
creating space for unique, diverse and inclusive expressions, ideals
and ideas. The panel seeks to explore the evolution of publishing in
the digital age, its impact and role in how we think, act and react. It
also seeks to question where the publishing industry stands ?
especially independent publishers, how stakeholders ? book readers,
retailers, publishers, editors and writers approaching books.

PAN ELS

D ay 3 | A pril 1st , 20 21

Wr it in g Acr oss For m & Space
The Poetics of Womanhood in
Pakist an

0 6:45 PM -0 7:30 PM U A E | 0 2:45 PM -0 3:30 PM G M T
Gu est Speak er s Aisha Hamid, Ayesha Raees, Ilona Yusuf, Afshan Shafi
M oder at or Mehvash Amin

This conversation will highlight the evolution of poetry by women in
Pakistan with a focus on those writing in English. We will discuss how
poetic form has undergone aesthetic changes over the last few
decades. The influence of modernist, western female poets on local
writing will be a key facet of the session. Each participant in the panel
will be asked to delineate their individual poetic 'voice' and the muses
which have affected the latter. The role of the Aleph Review in giving
space and mentorship to emerging female poets will also be a facet of
the session. The impact of space, particularly the country of their
birth, Pakistan, on their oeuvre and thematic concerns will also be a
key aspect of the discussion.

K eynote
Sessi ons

On Decolon ialism , In t er sect ion alit y & Lit er at u r e

11:0 0 A M -11:15 A M U A E | 0 7:0 0 A M -0 7:15 A M G M T | M arch 30 , 20 21
Feminist, decolonial anthropologist Dr. Diana J Fox explains the
relationship between decolonial feminism and intersectionality in this
headlining session of the Women in Literature Festival 2021.
Deconstructing decolonialism, the keynote session examines its impact
on gender and society through history and literature.

Ch an gin g Th e Nar r at ive

11:0 5 A M -11:25 A M U A E | 0 7:0 5 A M -0 7:25 A M G M T | M arch 31st , 20 21
Portrayal of female protagonists in literature have evolved through the
passage of time but women?s voice and influence has been seldom
showcased in works of fiction as well as non-fiction. In her keynote,
distinguished author Sutapa Basu walks down memory lane to explore
and examine a woman?s voice, her agency and resilience in socio-political
setup especially in literature and how her influence has led to greatness.

K eynote
Sessi ons

Th e Fu t u r e of Lit er at u r e In Th e Age of Tech n ology

11:0 0 A M -11:20 A M U A E | 0 7:0 0 A M -0 7:20 A M G M T | A pril 1st , 20 21

Ana Serrano Telleria explores the potential technology holds when it
comes to how we create works of literature in digitally inclusive
environments. The keynote examines the culture of the written word and
how it has evolved through technological advancements and created
space for new writing practices, production and publication of the written
word.

Th e Cou r age To Believe In Ou r St or ies

0 8:20 PM -0 8:50 PM U A E | 0 4:20 PM -0 4:50 PM G M T | A pril 1st , 20 21
Writing is a lonely journey. As we make our way through the world of
publishing, its gatekeepers and its challenges, somewhere along the line,
our spirit tires; we wonder why we are writing in the first place and who
cares about the stories we have to tell. There is also pressure to tailor the
stories to suit a standard expectation of 'stories from Pakistan'. In this
keynote, the speaker will talk about why the world needs us to tell our
own stories and how we must develop the courage to believe in them.

On Volit ion , Violen ce & Vilif icat ion

0 9:35 PM -0 9:55 PM U A E | 0 5:30 PM -0 5:55 PM G M T | A pril 1st , 20 21
Saurav Dutt, whose debut novel The Butterfly Room, chronicled the
accounts of over 200 domestic abuse survivors, talks about the
importance of people understanding how complex domestic violence and
psychological abuse is and that the South Asian community has a
particular challenge in overcoming the issue which is often seen as taboo.

Th e Flip Side

10 :0 0 PM -10 :20 PM U A E | 0 6:0 0 PM -0 6:20 PM G M T | A pril 1st , 20 21

Purva Grover examines the flipside of approaching the written word and
shares her thoughts on how to edit as a woman - anecdotes from her
journalism days, how to write like a man and why - experiences from the
present and when not to be a feminist. She will focus on the
women-centric issues she writes on and how to get even men interested
in reading stories that matter.

FIRESIDE CHAT
SESSI ON S

Sh ow casin g en gagin g t alk s w it h
som e of t h e m ost n ot able n am es in

t he lit erary world

D ay 1

D ay 3

Talk ing
Book s

Sh ow casin g WLF2021 Book s in Focu s

D ay 1 D ay 1

D ay 1

D ay 2 D ay 3

In The Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT

Aek t a Kapoor

Aekta Kapoor is the New Delhi-based founder and editor of eShe magazine and the author of
the spiritual memoir 100 Paths. After a long career as an award-winning lifestyle and fashion
journalist heading prestigious publications and websites, Aekta now focuses on gender equality,
social justice and peacebuilding through her writing and initiatives. She was mentor for The DO
School's Industry Disruptor 2020 by UN Women in India and Europe, and for the NITI Aayog-UN
Investor Consortium for Women Entrepreneurs 2020.

Af sh an Sh af i

Afshan Shafi lives in Lahore and has studied English Literature and International Relations
at The University of Buckingham and Webster Graduate School London. Her poems have
appeared or are forthcoming in Poetry, Poetry Wales, Blackbox Manifold, Flag + Void, Luna
Luna, Clinic, and 3am magazine. Her poems have also appeared in the anthologies, Smear
(edited by Greta Bellamacina) ,The New River Press Yearbook, and When They Start To
Love You As A Machine You Should Run (edited by Heathcote Ruthven). For her work as a
poet she was interviewed by Arte Tv (France) Words Without Borders, Hello! and Pakistan
Today. Her most recent collection 'Quiet Women' was published by Newline Press. She has
also served as a poetry editor for The Missing Slate and as an assistant editor for
GoodTimes Magazine. Her prose has appeared in Grazia (Pakistan), The News on Sunday,
OK! (Pakistan) and Daily Times (Pakistan). She writes regularly for Libas Now and is a
senior contributing editor at the Aleph Review. She is currently working on her first novel.

# W LF20 21

Am an da-Rae Pr escot t

Amanda-Rae Prescott is a freelance pop culture journalist. Her articles
reviewing period dramas and other UK TV shows have previously
appeared on Den Of Geek, GBH Boston, Doctor Who Magazine, and
several podcasts. She is an outspoken advocate for increased racial
diversity in period drama fandom as well as UK TV/film. She can often be
found live-tweeting UK TV shows or analyzing issues in fandom on Twitter
@am an d ar p r escot t

Am een a Saiyid

Ameena Saiyid. OBE, S.I. Knight of Arts and Letters (France), is
the Founder and Director, Adab Festival and Publisher and
MD, Lightstone Publishers Ameena Saiyid was MD of Oxford
University Press for 30 years. She is the first woman in
Pakistan to become the head of a multinational company
and President of the Overseas Investors? Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. She began the movement of
literature festivals in Pakistan with Karachi Literature Festival
in 2010. . She is on the boards of Kashf Foundation, Nasra Schools, Jinnah Society, Habib University,
Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Institute of Art and Culture, Lahore, Sindh Madrassatul Islam
University. She is a member of the federal education minister ?s Search Committee for the selection of
scholars on Pakistan Chairs abroad, a member of the foreign ministry?s committee of Arts and Culture
and Trustee of the Vicky Noon Education Foundation, UK, which gives scholarships to Pakistani
students to study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Dr . Am in a Yaqin

Dr. Amina Yaqin is a Reader in Urdu and Postcolonial Studies at SOAS. She is Chair of the Decolonising
Working Group and the Director of the SOAS Festival of Ideas. Her monograph Gender, Sexuality and
Feminism in Pakistani women's poetry is forthcoming with Anthem Press in 2021. She is co-author
with Peter Morey of Framing Muslims: Stereotyping and Representation after 911 (Harvard University

Press, 2011) and has co-edited, Contesting Islamophobia: media, politics
and culture (IB Tauris/Bloomsbury 2019); Muslims, Trust and
Multiculturalism: New Directions (Palgrave MacMillan 2018); Culture,
Diaspora and Modernity in Muslim Writing (Routledge 2012). Her
research is interdisciplinary and engages with contemporary contexts of
Muslim life as well as the politics of culture in Pakistan where she grew
up. She has been a Co-PI on two projects, the Arts and Humanities
Research Council funded International Research Network on Framing
Muslims and the Research Councils UK funded Muslims, Trust and
Cultural Dialogue. She is a book series co-editor on Multicultural
Textualities published by Manchester University Press and on the
Advisory Board of Anthem Studies in South Asian Literature, Aesthetics
and Culture, the Pakistan Journal of Women's Studies, Journal of
Research (Humanities) Punjab university and the Journal of
Commonwealth Literature. Dr Yaqin is the founding Chair of the Centre
for the Study of Pakistan at SOAS and the co-founder of the Centre for
Gender Studies.

SPOTLIGHT

Am rit a Mukherjee

Amrita Mukherjee has worked in publications like The
Times of India, The Hindustan Times and The Asian Age
in India and she has been the Features Editor with
ITP publishing Group, Dubai?s largest magazine
publishing house.

An advocate of alternative journalism, she is
currently an independent journalist writing for
international publications and websites and also
blogs on women?s issues at www.amritaspeaks.com
Amrita?s debut novelExit Interview published by Rupa
Publications in 2015, earned the tag
?unputdownable?from reviewers and readers alike. It
was on the Starmark Bestsellers List for months. Exit
Interview is a fiction based on the life of a woman
journalist. Her vast exposure to people from all walks
of life and her keen interest in collecting stories and
collating it with research has resulted in the 13 short
stories in her bookMuseum of Memories published by
Readomania in April 2017. Her work has been
published in two anthologies Mock, Stalk & Quarrel
(Readomania, 2016)and in Across and Beyond (Avenel Press) published in 2020.

Amrita?s work has been praised by Vir Sanghvi and MJ Akbar. She has been featured in
publications likeThe Telegraph, The Times of India, Femina, The Gulf News, Dubai,The
Statesman,Deccan Chronicle,Ei Samay, Aajkal and Saptahik Bartaman. She received the
WE?Women Per Excellence Awardin 2018 for her contribution to writing. Website:
w w w.am r it asp eaks.com

Am y Pat t er son

An Austen fan since early childhood, Amy
Patterson and her family operate Jane
Austen Books, the world's only
women-owned bookstore dedicated to
books by and about Austen. Amy is also a
Contributing Editor at Jane Austen's
Regency World Magazine, and her
Austen-related writing has appeared across
multiple digital and print publications,
including The Joy of Jane (2017). As a journalist based in Ohio's idyllic Amish country, Amy
covers politics and education for the Geauga County Maple Leaf, named Newspaper of the
Year for the 6th time in 2021. Twitter @amyleep

# W LF20 21

An a Ser r an o Teller ia

Ana Serrano Tellería is an Associate Professor (ANECA) at the
University of Castilla la Mancha and is also a post-doctoral
researcher, collaborator at the following centers: ASCA & Media
Studies Department, Faculty Of Humanities, University of
Amsterdam; Oslo Met Digital Journalism, Oslo Metropolitan
University; DIGIDOC, Pompeu Fabra University; LabCom.IFP,
University of Beira Interior, Portugal; MESO, San Andrés
University, Argentina, and Northwestern University, USA;
Innovation in Digital Media, Carlos III University and
Innovamedianet: a network of researchers. Since receiving the
"Extraordinary Ph.D Award" in 2012 for her thesis (2010) "Initial
Node Design On Cybermedia: A Comparative Study", her
academic and professional work has focused on media literacy;
media ecology; interface design; cross / multi / transmedia
communication, performative and visual arts.

Aanchal Malhot ra

Aanchal Malhotra is a Delhi-based oral
historian, who works on the 1947 Partition
and its related subjects. She is the author of
the highly-acclaimed book,Remnants of a
Separation (2017), the co-founder of the
Museum of Material Memory. Her next
book,In the Language of Remembering, is
forthcoming in autumn 2021.

An ju m Kat yal

Anjum Katyal is a writer, editor, translator and
critic.She is the author of several books on theatre
and performance such asHabib Tanvir: Towards an
Inclusive TheatreandBadal Sircar: Towards a Theatre
of Conscience. Her book on Safdar Hashmi?s
theatre is in process. She was Chief Editor, Seagull
Books, for almost 20 years, as well as
Editor,Seagull Theatre QuarterlyCalcutta, and
steered two major translation initiatives: the New
Indian Playwrights Series of post-independence
regional playwriting, and The Selected Works of
Mahasweta Devi from Bengali. She has translated Habib Tanvir ?splaysand stories by
Mahasweta Devi and Meera Mukherjee.She is currently Curator, NEW festival,
Santiniketan, and Director, Writing Department, The Creative Arts Academy. She also
writes poetry and sings the blues.

SPOTLIGHT

An gela Joy

Angela Joy was born and raised
in Minneapolis, MN. Before
graduating Summa Cum Laude
from the University of
Minnesota, Angela attended
New York University and
Spelman College. With a move
to Los Angeles, CA, Angela
traveled extensively as a
background vocalist, also
working in television and movie
so u n d t r acks.

Currently, Angela is an author,
substitute teacher, Girl Scout
Cookie Manager, Troop Leader, 5th grade book club moderator, and music lover. She is
the co-founder of the McGaugh International Culture Club. She lives in Southern California
with her husband and two children, but will always call Minneapolis home.Black Is a
Rainbow Coloris her first book.

Anm ol Irfan

Anmol Irfan is a freelance journalist and the founder of
Perspective Magazine, an online Pakistani platform that aims
to empower unheard voices and stories in the country, and
champion its youth to challenge existing norms. She did her
BA in History from the London School Of Economics during
which time she also specialised in finding all the best foods
in London as well. Her articles have been published in VICE
World News, HUCK Magazine, Reader 's Digest, Gal-dem and
more. Her work focuses on gender, politics and South Asian
culture, exploring intersectionality and minority rights.

Ar slan At h ar

Arslan Athar: Arslan is the founder of The Desi Collective, an
anthology for young South Asian artists and writers. Arslan
himself is a writer, currently working under the mentorship
of Fatima Bhutto for his novel, under the South Asia Speaks
program. His work has appeared in Newsweek, The News on
Sunday and MangoBaaz.