Tehrik-e-Niswan to hold cultural event on Jan 30

Tehrik-e-Niswan in collaboration with other civil society organisations has announced a cultural event will be organised on January 30 at the Arts Council Karachi to express support for and unity with the international community.

In a joint a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Monday, Tehrik-e-Niswan founder Sheema Kermani, Sindh Commission on Status of Women chairperson Nuzhat Shirin, Christian Resource Welfare Centre’s Ghazala Shafique, Activist Qurrat Mirza and others said that the event included talks to highlight the importance of jointly commemorating such international days with theater, dance, songs and musical presentations.

They said the city hardly held any events, occasions or spaces where people from various communities could come together to discuss their common social issues and concerns and also connect with the global community. “Through this campaign, we aim to spread awareness about the basic human rights and also to express support and unity with the global community,” said one of the speakers.

They believed that all humans were equal irrespective of their gender, caste, religion, sect or ethnicity and that everyone was entitled to these rights without discrimination. They said it was the responsibility of the state to provide equal rights and equal opportunities to every citizen as promised in the charter of the United Nations.

Sheema Kermani said that performing arts, such as theatre, dance and music was a very powerful tool for bringing about a positive change in society, as it helped to bring people together.

Considering this as part of the campaign to motivate and mobilise communities to cooperate and unite for shared causes, the civil society organised 24 events in various areas and communities across Karachi in which more than 3,000 people participated, nearly 50 per cent of them women.

Speaking about the joint struggle, Nuzhat Shirin said that the most significant aspect of these events was that all these events were held in areas and communities where cultural activities were not common and people did not get an opportunity to participate in such activities. Some of these areas were Ibraheem Hydri, Sachal Goth, Koohi Goth, Lyari, Baldia Town, Mauripur, Saeedullah Goth.

With this awareness-raising campaign, she said, we have been able to motivate and inspire people, both young and old, to come together for celebrating along with the global community, including International Day for Tolerance, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and International Human Rights Day.

Shirin said international days’ events were informative and entertaining and were largely attended by students, nurses and midwives, social activists, people from various other professions and communities. Many of them presented songs and theatre plays together with famous performers such as singer Arieb Azhar, Ram Chand Faqeer and Tehrik-e-Niswan Theater group.

They requested the society to join and raise voice against religious extremism, communalism, violence, hate and injustice for making the society a better and peaceful place to live.

The partner organisations of the event, Sahar Aawaz Deti Hae, include Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, Pakistan Medical Association, PNFWH, Mahardar Art Production, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Hum Awaaaz, Anchal Welfare Organization, Women Development Organisation, Peace Development Organisation and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research.