TheBlackHole

31/08/2026

● Geo-locating Mir: The Parallel Universes of Mir and the story of a Forbidden Love

» Mir Taqi Mir is remembered as one of the greatest poets of the Urdu language, a poet whose verses inhabit worlds of love, loss, longing and profound existential reflection. But what happens when we step away from the familiar image of Mir as a purely lyrical and abstract poet and begin to follow his words across an actual landscape?

In this session, we revisit a neglected and remarkably realistic work attributed to Mir: Tisang Nama, a travelogue describing a journey from Delhi to the village of Tisang, near Meerut. Using modern mapping technology, textual clues and on-the-ground investigation, the speaker traces Mir’s approximately 90-kilometre route, identifying geographical details and revisiting a location that remained the subject of considerable confusion among Urdu scholars and critics for decades.

But this geographical journey leads to an even more intriguing literary mystery.

● About the Speaker:

» Zafar Syed is a fiction writer, critic, historian, science educator, and translator who works in both English and Urdu. He is the author of ten books, including two novels, a volume of criticism, a popular science title, a research monograph, and five translations.

Beyond his books, he has published hundreds of articles in international publications on history, literature, culture, science, etc., and has lectured widely across Pakistan. His intellectual interests span evolution, free will, consciousness, artificial intelligence, history, linguistics and neurology.

Zafar is currently the Editor of Independent Urdu, the Urdu-language edition of The Independent (UK). He has previously worked with the BBC, Voice of America, and the U.S. State Department.

● This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.

31/08/2026

This lecture is part of the TBH–ICTP School on Mathematics for Phys...

31/08/2026

This lecture is part of the TBH–ICTP School on Mathematics for Phys...

30/08/2026

LIVE from TheBlackHole!!!

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Fear is one of our most powerful and essential emotions. It can protect us from danger, sharpen our instincts and help us survive. But what happens when fear remains with us long after the danger has passed?

For some, experiences of trauma can leave the mind and body on constant alert. A sound, a place, a memory, or even something seemingly insignificant, can trigger powerful reactions rooted in experiences we may struggle to consciously understand. Fear can shape how we think, how we relate to others and how we see the world around us.

In this session, we explore fear through the lenses of neuroscience and psychology. What happens in the brain and body when we experience fear? How can traumatic experiences continue to influence us long after they are over? Why do some memories and fears seem so difficult to escape? More importantly, how to heal?

● About the Speaker:

» Ayesha Durrani is a seasoned psychologist with over two decades of experience. She is passionate about helping people break free from mental toxicity and build genuine emotional well-being. Through her work, she fosters safe spaces for self-discovery, resilience, and purposeful living.

Fear is one of our most powerful and essential emotions. It can pro...

30/08/2026

● The Fear Within: The Neuroscience and Psychology of Fear, Trauma and Healing

» Fear is one of our most powerful and essential emotions. It can protect us from danger, sharpen our instincts and help us survive. But what happens when fear remains with us long after the danger has passed?

For some, experiences of trauma can leave the mind and body on constant alert. A sound, a place, a memory, or even something seemingly insignificant, can trigger powerful reactions rooted in experiences we may struggle to consciously understand. Fear can shape how we think, how we relate to others and how we see the world around us.

In this session, we explore fear through the lenses of neuroscience and psychology. What happens in the brain and body when we experience fear? How can traumatic experiences continue to influence us long after they are over? Why do some memories and fears seem so difficult to escape? More importantly, how to heal?

● About the Speaker:

» Ayesha Durrani is a seasoned psychologist with over two decades of experience. She is passionate about helping people break free from mental toxicity and build genuine emotional well-being. Through her work, she fosters safe spaces for self-discovery, resilience, and purposeful living.

● This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.

30/08/2026

LIVE from TheBlackHole!!!

This lecture is part of the TBH–ICTP School on Mathematics for Phys...

30/08/2026

LIVE from TheBlackHole!!!

This lecture is part of the TBH–ICTP School on Mathematics for Phys...

29/08/2026

LIVE from TheBlackHole!!!

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» Secularism is one of the most debated – and often misunderstood – ideas in discussions about religion, politics and modern society. For some, it represents freedom of belief and equal citizenship. For others, it is associated with hostility towards religion or the exclusion of faith from public life.

But what does secularism actually mean?

This session will move beyond popular assumptions and explore the idea of secularism in its different forms and interpretations. What does it mean for a state to remain neutral among different religious beliefs, or between belief and non-belief? How might secularism shape citizenship, individual freedoms, minority rights and the relationship between state and society? Most importantly, can a society remain deeply religious while its state treats all citizens equally, regardless of their faith?

● About the Speaker:

» Amjad Nazeer is a dedicated social and public policy researcher, as well as a human and environmental rights defender. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, he holds degrees in Governance & Development Management (UK), M.Phil. in Human Rights Policy & Practice (Norway), and Social Anthropology from Quaid-e-Azam University (Pakistan). He has authored numerous research reports, booklets, op-eds, and news articles on human rights, minority rights, child rights, and education.

29/08/2026

LIVE from TheBlackHole!!!

---

Secularism is one of the most debated – and often misunderstood – ideas in discussions about religion, politics and modern society. For some, it represents freedom of belief and equal citizenship. For others, it is associated with hostility towards religion or the exclusion of faith from public life.

But what does secularism actually mean?

This session will move beyond popular assumptions and explore the idea of secularism in its different forms and interpretations. What does it mean for a state to remain neutral among different religious beliefs, or between belief and non-belief? How might secularism shape citizenship, individual freedoms, minority rights and the relationship between state and society? Most importantly, can a society remain deeply religious while its state treats all citizens equally, regardless of their faith?

● About the Speaker:

» Amjad Nazeer is a dedicated social and public policy researcher, as well as a human and environmental rights defender. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, he holds degrees in Governance & Development Management (UK), M.Phil. in Human Rights Policy & Practice (Norway), and Social Anthropology from Quaid-e-Azam University (Pakistan). He has authored numerous research reports, booklets, op-eds, and news articles on human rights, minority rights, child rights, and education.

Secularism is one of the most debated – and often misunderstood – i...