Ulster University hosts Jaipur Literature Festival in Belfast
Ulster University hosted the Jaipur Literature Festival in Belfast, featuring prominent figures like Shashi Tharoor. The event aimed to strengthen cultural and academic ties between India, Ireland, and the international community.
Why it matters
Such cultural exchanges promote international education and soft power diplomacy, highlighting Belfast as a hub for global intellectual discourse.
Festival featuring leading Indian voices including Shashi Tharoor highlights Belfast and Northern Ireland as globally connected destinations for culture, creativity and international study
BELFAST, Northern Ireland , July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ulster University welcomed the internationally acclaimed Jaipur Literature Festival to Belfast in June, positioning Northern Ireland as a vibrant destination for culture, creativity and international student experience.
The Belfast programme marked the opening leg of the inaugural all-island edition of the festival, bringing leading Irish, Indian and international writers, historians, thinkers and performers to Ulster University's Belfast campus for three days of discussions, performances and cultural exchange.
Among the internationally recognised figures appearing were Indian politician, diplomat and bestselling author Shashi Tharoor, who joined constitutional law expert David Kenny to discuss democracy and constitutional traditions in India and Ireland, alongside historian and Jaipur Literature Festival co-founder William Dalrymple and oral historian and author Aanchal Malhotra.
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