Dr. Nazia Akhtar’s short story “The Letter” has been shortlisted for the Hope Prize 2025, a prestigious global platform that celebrates stories of resilience, courage, and hope — grounded in the belief that storytelling can inspire empathy and meaningful action.

This year’s competition received 2,501 submissions from writers across 90 countries, of which only 20 stories were selected for the shortlist, underscoring the significance of this achievement. The distinguished jury includes Quentin Bryce, Julia Gillard, and Kathy Lette.

“The Letter” will be published alongside other shortlisted and winning entries in a special anthology by Simon & Schuster later this year.

   March 2026