In May 2007 Sabeen Mahmud founded The Second Floor (now known as T2F), a coffee house and “community space for open dialogue” in Karachi, Pakistan.
In April 2015, Mahmud was shot dead by unidentified gunmen. Travelling home after hosting a panel discussion on the missing people of Balochistan, a poor but resource rich province of Pakistan, armed motorcyclists surrounded her car and opened fire.
Three months after this brutal act, Index on Censorship are working together with Yasmin Whittaker-Khan, Anneqa Malik and the Sabeen Mahmud Foundation to commemorate and celebrate an extraordinary woman.
Featuring prominent speakers alongside live art, music, poetry and Pakistani food.
Hosted by British-Pakistani stand-up comedian and TV presenter Aatif Nawaz. With:
- Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistani human rights activist
- Annie Zaman, Bytes for All
- Declan Walsh, New York Times
- Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, University of Oxford
- Jodie Ginsberg, Index on Censorship
- Kali Chandrasegaram, classical dancer
- Hyder Cheema, musician
- Kamila Shamsie, novelist
- Omer Tariq, DJ
- Shaan Taseer, Pakistan for All (and son of late Salman Taseer)
- Sonia Metha, singer
- Students from City And Islington Sixth Form College
- Suniya Qureshi, Qismat Foundation
- Tehmina Kazi, British Muslims for Secular Democracy
- Ustad Roshan Abbas Khan, musician
- Yasmin Whittaker-Khan, playwright
- Ziad Zafar, Sabeen Mahmud Foundation
When: Thursday 23 July, 7:00pm
Where: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL (Map/directions)
Tickets: Free, book here
Presented in partnership with Conway Hall Ethical Society and the Sabeen Mahmud Foundation
