‘Currents of change’ will be the theme of ‘Ka,’ the sixth edition of the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL) 2025, which will begin at Kanakakkunnu on Thursday.
More than 520 speakers, including 50 from abroad, will attend the four-day festival, which will have 295 sessions across 12 venues, Mayura Shreyams Kumar, director, Digital Business, Mathrubhumi, said at a press conference here on Tuesday.
Ms. Shreyams Kumar said the theme was chosen keeping in mind the rapid changes taking place around the world. The idea was to keep alive the culture of conversations in the State without any fear, she said.
People from all walks of life would attend the festival, envisaged as a cultural-literature festival, she added.
Open discussions
Manoj K. Das, Editor, Mathrubhumi daily and digital, said open discussions on the challenges faced by India, where Kerala stood in those discussions, and the position of south India in national narrrative would be held. The speakers would include former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
P.K. Rajasekharan, Malayalam content curator for the festival, said the festival would see discussions and discourses not only on literature, but also a wide range of issues, be it society, science, sports, films, and social media. “Diversity, plurality, and change are the three ideas upheld by the festival,” he said.
Sabin Iqbal, English content creator, said most of the international speakers would be from Central and Eastern Europe and the Far East, away from Western Europe. “Four poets and writers from Ukraine would speak on the ongoing war.”
Minister for Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas would hoist the festival flag at Kanakakkunnu on Wednesday. Cultural programmes would follow, starting with a homage to tabla maestro the late Ustad Zakir Hussain. On Thursday, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar would inaugurate the festival. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be the chief guest at the valedictory on Sunday.
Entertainment events
Entertainment programmes would close the evening, including performances by Shweta Mohan and band, When Chai Met Toast, and Avial, besides folk performances.
Engaging sessions and activities will be held for children as part of ‘Alphaverse.’ The ‘Ka Corner’ will include cartoon lab, calligraphy, and live art. A book store will also be active. Book releases and book signings will be held, and opportunities to meet authors will be made available.
