A four-day international conference on poetry and peace was held in Avesta Town in the northwest of Sweden under the auspices of Avesta Municipality.
Famous Swedish poet and Nobel laureate Alex Karlfeldt was born in this area, and commands a great love and respect with the people of province of Dalarna. Karlfeldt celebrations were also a part of this week long festival in this historical and one of the most beautiful towns of Sweden. The conference was jointly inaugurated by Fakhar Zaman, Dr Fatima Hussain, Karin Perers, Peter Curman and the Mayor of Avesta. Fakhar Zaman said in his speech that the poets are destined to resist and fight against dictatorship, extremism, oppression and religious fascism. He said poets like Pablo Naruda, Lorca, Andre Maleraux fought physically against the Spanish dictatorship.
Even romantic poet Byron also fought against the oppressive forces. In Pakistan, he said writers and poets challenged dictatorship of Gen Zia and suffered in the process. He paid glowing tributes to Mayor of Avesta and chief organiser Karin Perers for arranging such a wonderful poetry festival.
Dr Fatima Hussain in her paper said Sufi poets of the subcontinent were great harbingers of peace, love and tolerance. The eminent Indian historian added that the present societies of India and Pakistan have to emulate the lofty message of the great mystics. Peter Curman, the renowned Swedish poet, recited his moving poem on peace. Karin gave the details of the whole one week programme including music performance by migrants from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Somalia and art exhibition in the famous Iron Museum of Avesta. She said the poetry book of Nobel laureate Karlfeldt, which has been translated into Urdu through the efforts of Fakhar Zaman, will also be launched in a special session.
The book has been ably translated into Urdu by Asim Butt, Director of Punjab Academy of Letters and beautifully produced by the National Book Foundation in Islamabad. In the said session on Karlfeldt, Professor Christer Asberg, who has translated Karlfeldt into English, recited the Nobel laureate’s few poems. Fakhar Zaman and Asim Butt also recited Urdu translations of Karlfeldt’s writings. —Correspondent