Sonya Rehman
Sonya Rehman is a journalist and correspondent for The Diplomat living in Lahore, Pakistan. A graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, she has been writing since 2002. Her work has been featured in TIME, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, BBC, Esquire and The Huffington Post, among others.
SUNDAY Sunday 3rd March
Extra Tarka! Preserving Culture Through Cuisine Moderator: Sonya Rehman Gulalai Khan, Founder, Pakistan Professional Women Forum Hiba Dar, Director Communications, Coca Cola Pakistan Ana Farooq, Founder of Arth Ayurveda
Location: Hall 3
Exploring the economic empowerment of women through traditional Pakistani cuisine, preserving cultural heritage, and shaping a nation's identity. The panel discussion at the WOW Festival ‘24 will highlight and detail how home chefs in Pakistan are leveraging their culinary skills to create economic opportunities and empower themselves.
What’s more, by tapping into our local recipes, these women are not only earning extra income but also preserving the cultural legacy of their region. This is no less than a culinary ‘movement’ which is not just about cooking; it's about empowerment and economic growth.
These women are gradually gaining business acumen, access to finance, and expanding their business networks. But how did this start? Was the Covid-19 lockdown the impetus for the birth and rapid growth in the home chef sector on local turf? This panel explores that and more.