Together with our Community Panel, ARU Peterborough and resident & host Numra Ghafoor, we are putting on a mini lecture series this year for Allama Iqbal Festival 2026. If you have any sort of connection or love of Iqbal’s life, philosophy, and poetry, we would love for you to be one of our Community Lecturers!
Huge thank you to ARU Peterborough for supporting this event.
About the event
Lunchtime Talks
Navigating Allama Iqbal: A Personal Present
Tuesday 10 November 2026
12pm – 1:30pm
The Living Lab, ARU Peterborough, Bishop’s Road, PE1 5BW
Lunchtime Talks is a celebration of the work, contributions and enduring relevance of the visionary poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal. Navigating Allama Iqbal will be a relaxed, informal series of talks / lectures, open to the general public alongside invited sixth form students. If you’re familiar with TEDX, it will be like a very small-scale version of a TED Talk.
We invite you to be part of the event to be one of our Community Lecturers. We are looking for people who want to share how you have encountered Iqbal personally, delving into how his poetry and philosophy have shaped the way you see the world, make decisions, build relationships or understand yourself. The event will feel like a series of mini-lectures, each grounded in lived experiences, community and creativity as much as scholarship or academics. Whether you have spent decades with Iqbal’s work or have come to know him recently, your perspectives are welcome here.
What does a Community Lecturer have to do?
You will prepare and deliver an 8-10 minute talk on something related to Allama Iqbal. We welcome submissions from any domain of life – economics, relationships, identity, spirituality, professional practice, creative work, community and beyond. The theme is the focus on Iqbal’s work and the relevance to your life. We are looking for ordinary people who can draw meaningful links to Iqbal’s work. Such concepts can exhibit Khudi and Shaheen.
Lived experiences are as valid as academic expertise. Absolutely anyone can be a Community Lecturer. Whether you’re a grandma who read Iqbal’s works to your grandchildren at night, a student studying his works in school, a business exec who writes poetry inspired by Iqballian literature on the side…. or anywhere in between, we would love to hear your personal stories about Iqbal.
We are not looking for formal papers, we are looking for honest, thoughtful engagement with Iqbal and what his work has meant to you in the present. No Q&A, the focus is on your voice and story. The event is hybrid and there will be a digital audience tuning in online, however speakers are expected to present in person.
Delivery may be in English, Urdu or a blend of both.
Please note: If you are not confident in presenting, public speaking, or preparing slides, please do not let that hold you back. We are happy to offer support, simply let us know when you submit and we will be in touch. What matters most is your connection to Iqbal and your story.
How to apply
There are 5 slots available. To apply, either fill in the Microsoft form (link below) or call/text Charley Genever on 07435 985935.
Your submission should include the following:
- Your name and a brief background about you (your job, your interests, anything relevant you wish to share about yourself)
- How you came to know Iqbal’s Work
- A title for your talk if you have an idea for one (don’t worry if not, just put TBC in the box)
- A short paragraph of text (200-300 words) describing what you would like to share and what your talk will be about
If you have any queries or want to run your idea past us, you can email Numra on numra_ghafoor@outlook.com or Charley at charley.genever@neneparktrust.org.uk
Deadline for applications is Sunday 23 August 2026
