LAHORE (Dunya News) – ThinkFest 2026 is set to return to Lahore with a packed three-day programme featuring leading global scholars, policymakers, journalists, artists, and activists, turning Alhamra, The Mall, into a hub of debate and dialogue from January 23 to 25.
With free entry and no passes required, the festival continues its tradition of open public engagement, bringing complex global and national issues into accessible public conversations.
The opening day on Friday sets a strong geopolitical and intellectual tone. Renowned academic Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University joins Raza Rumi to examine Pakistan’s positioning between the United States and China, while a later session sees Nasr in conversation with Najam Sethi on the Gaza war and its implications for the remaking of the Middle East. Climate governance also features prominently, with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr and WWF Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi assessing whether Pakistan’s climate frameworks are delivering tangible results.
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Literature and history form a parallel thread, with Zeinab Badawi launching An African History of Africa alongside historian Ammar Ali Jan, while author Mohammed Hanif discusses literature as resistance in a session supported by the British Council. Panels on child protection, early marriage, and Mughal military history further diversify the opening day’s agenda across multiple halls.
Saturday expands the scope to education, media, economics, diplomacy, and technology. A high-profile discussion on the future of higher education brings together Zeinab Badawi, Uzma Quraishi, S. Akbar Zaidi, Sohail Naqvi, and Adeel Malik, questioning the evolving role of universities in a rapidly changing world. Media polarisation in Pakistan takes centre stage later in the day, with journalists and broadcasters examining whether narrative battles are eroding national cohesion.
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Economic inequality and fiscal reform dominate several sessions, including Thomas Piketty’s discussions on global inequality and inclusive societies, alongside debates on Pakistan’s tax net featuring Rashid Langrial, Musadaq Zulqarnain, and former finance minister Miftah Ismail. Technology and global security also intersect, with panels on war in the age of the smartphone, artificial intelligence and the new world order, and Europe’s security challenges from Ukraine to Greenland.
The third and final day, Sunday, brings constitutional questions, regional geopolitics, and social justice into sharper focus. Sessions explore Iran’s political crossroads, the evolving India-Israel relationship, and the role of media in shaping truth and polarisation. Legal experts gather to debate the 27th Constitutional Amendment, while economists and policymakers confront Pakistan’s persistent growth challenges and fiscal constraints.
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Culture, history, and identity remain integral to the programme. Discussions range from Lahore’s historical narratives in the digital age to the legacy of multiple partitions in South Asia. Panels on minority rights, climate resilience, animal rights, and Sufi shrines in urban Pakistan underline the festival’s multidisciplinary character. Book launches, Adabi Baithaks, and curated cultural sessions continue throughout the day, reinforcing ThinkFest’s blend of scholarship and creative expression.
Across all three days, ThinkFest 2026 brings together voices from Pakistan, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and beyond, with participation from institutions including Oxford, LSE, Sciences Po, Johns Hopkins University, SOAS, and leading Pakistani universities. Supported by international partners such as the British Council, EU Delegation, and multiple embassies, the festival positions Lahore as a regional centre for ideas, dialogue, and critical inquiry.