With the COVID-19 pandemic shifting the paradigms of engagement to the virtual world, the 14th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) will feature an online programme spread over two extended weekends. On Thursday, the organizers announced that February 19-21 and 26-28, have been marked for the occurrence of the events. The live virtual sessions will host an array of themes and writers, specially curated for audiences all across the globe.
JLF has roped in over 100 speakers
Annually, Jaipur Literature Fest is graced by a plethora of renowned authors, journalists and cultural commentators and it is that one event which transcends the boundaries of what a conventional literature festival is. Now, the upcoming season of this renowned fest has roped in over 100 speakers who will be in attendance and the first list includes prominent names like Albie Sachs, Bibek Debroy, Carlo Rovelli, Daniel Simpson, John Zubrzycki and Marina Wheeler, amidst others.
The attendees will be offered an immersive experience which would come wrapped in the essence of the original literary extravaganza with augmented reality and virtual venues replete with a bookstore, a bazaar featuring traditionally handcrafted goodies and various engagement zones.
JLF: One of the world’s most popular online spaces
A few of the themes that will be explored this year at JLF, include Technology & AI, Politics & History, Environment & Climate Change, Mental Health, Business & Economics, Translations, Poetry & Music, Food & Literature, Geopolitics, Science & Medicine, Democracy & Constitution and so on.
Writer, publisher and JLF Co-director, Namita Gokhale, stated, “These disruptive times have enabled us to curate a uniquely diverse literary platform and to create what could be termed a living library. The magical spirit of the festival, with its joy, curiosity, and sense of wonder, will be live this coming February for all those who cherish books, ideas and dialogue.”
Echoing this, writer, historian and JLF Co-director William Dalrymple mentioned that despite the pandemic and political upheavals around the world, the Jaipur Literature Festival will still be spreading its wings. He further added that JLF has now moulded itself into one of the world’s most popular online spaces for profound discussions about books and writing. Although this year’s fest will be a muted affair, the team has been showcasing a strong commitment to literary excellence via one of their most extraordinary lists to date.
Virtual edition of JBM to run from 22nd to 25th February 2021
Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts that produces the JLF, said, “The devastation that the pandemic caused caught the world unawares. Even as gated communities, cities and countries shut down their borders, we wanted to ensure the free flow of knowledge and information across countries and communities. JLF Brave New World was born out of this intention and grossed over 160 episodes and 4.8 million viewers. As we look ahead to 2021, we look forward to hosting the Jaipur Literature Festival, bringing to our viewers the best thinkers from across the world and presenting varied points of views and themes.”
Jaipur BookMark (JBM), the B2B arm of the Festival will commence its eighth edition with an engaging virtual programme between the two weekends of the main Festival. The virtual edition of JBM will run from 22nd to 25th February 2021, hosting two sessions per day. JBM will bring together a wide range of publishers, literary agents, writers, translators, translation agencies and booksellers from all over the world and give them a chance to communicate and listen to global industry biggies.
In addition to enjoying the literary sessions, audiences will also get to witness the Festival’s signature morning and evening music sessions with performances by leading artistes and entertainers. The customary Festival merchandise and books by participating authors will be available online on the Jaipur Literature Festival’s official website.
