ISLAMABAD: SOT Events launched its 20th edition, “Possible Worlds”, in Islamabad on October 24, bringing together leading voices from diverse fields for a day of conversations on the future of humanity.
Organised by the Beaconhouse Group, the event explored the future as a range of possibilities shaped by decisions being made today. The Islamabad edition was the first in a three-city series, with Lahore and Karachi to follow.
The Islamabad event featured eight sessions covering themes such as the future of learning and work, climate resilience, online safety, artificial intelligence, beauty, geopolitics, conflict and the arts. Audiences from Islamabad and surrounding areas attended in large numbers despite stormy weather.
One of the key sessions, “Who Owns Imagination?”, combined discussion and music and featured Ali Azmat along with voices from music and the arts. Curated in collaboration with the Lahore Biennale Foundation, the session examined the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity and expression. A live DJ performance added to the session, while the weather contributed to the energy of the occasion.
A conversation involving aestheticians and psychologists also drew considerable interest. It examined the pressures linked to ideal appearance, the role of AI in creating such standards, and the physical and psychological costs of pursuing them.
Another debate considered whether AI is making people less human, weighing its potential against risks to creativity, judgement and human connection. Syed Talat Hussain led a discussion with Dr Moeed Yusuf, Fahd Husain and Munizae Jahangir on shifting global power and the implications of an increasingly uncertain world.
Other sessions focused on urgent questions for families and communities. “Growing Up Online” discussed the shared responsibility of protecting children from digital harm, while “Communities on the Climate Frontline” looked at how communities most exposed to climate shocks can build resilience.
SOT Events, organised by Beaconhouse Group, has evolved over more than 25 years into one of Pakistan’s significant platforms for open public discourse. This year, SOT is being held across three cities.
After Islamabad, “Possible Worlds” will move to Lahore on November 28 and 29 at Faletti’s Hotel, where two days of conversations, debates, performances and interactive experiences will be held. The series will then continue in Karachi on December 12 at Beach Luxury Hotel.
Speaking about this year’s theme, Chair SOT Events and CEO Beaconhouse Kasim Kasuri said, “SOT has always created space to question, challenge and exchange ideas openly. Taking Possible Worlds to three cities allows us to widen that exchange and bring more people into conversations that will ultimately affect us all.”
UBL is the Lead Sponsor of SOT Events 2026 and is supporting the event series across all three cities.
