Rawalpindi : Students painting exhibition on the theme of mountains, women, water and biodiversity put on display at the Rawalpindi Art Gallery the other day in connection with 9th Pakistan Mountain Festival.
Organised by the Devcom-Pakistan (Development Communications Network) in collaboration with Rawalpindi Arts Council and Rawalpindi Women University, the weeklong exhibition showcases the selected work of students’ live painting competition organised at the Rawalpindi Women University.
The Vice Chancellor Rawalpindi Women University Dr Alia Sohail Khan was the chief guest. She also distributed prizes among the winners in two categories of postgraduate and undergraduate. The top four prize-winners in the first category included Sehrish Fatima, Farhana Munir, Ghousia Qadeer and Rimsha Saeed respectively. They all are the postgraduate students from the Rawalpindi Women University.
The first four winners in the undergraduate category included Roobia Zulfiqar from the Comwave Institute Sarhad University, Zoobia Arif from International Islamic University, Fatima Umer from Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/2, Fida Muhammad from the International Islamic University respectively. Speaking on the occasion, she urged the youth take care of the natural resources and play their in creating awareness among the masses. It is very important to take preventive measures for the mountain resources on which the life downstream depends on. The fragile ecosystems in the highlands need our immense attention to curb our carbon footprint too. The Devcom-Pakistan Director and founder of the Pakistan Mountain Festival Munir Ahmed said: youth can play significant role in engaging citizens and promoting the individual social responsibility and creating awareness on the mountain conservation challenges. He said: about 50 oil-on-canvas paintings are reflect the youth’s creative flair and enthusiasm to highlight the beauty and natural resources of mountains. These images can play central role in sensitising the people downstream about the marvels of nature up there. These mountains are not only the main sources of water, minerals, gems, biodiversity but they are the hub living cultural heritage, craft, music and literary traditions.
Waqar Ahmed, Director Rawalpindi Arts Council, said the council has always been supporting youth engagement in creative pursuits. The RAC has been partner with the Devcom-Pakistan for years now to ensure consistent engagement of youth on environment and climate advocacy and action. He said literary arts can engage youth in more interesting ways on the thematic advocacy and awareness on the challenges confronting us.
Roobia Zulfiqar, the first prize winner in the undergraduate category, said: “I love mountain culture and its natural landscape, natural resources, and beauty all over the mountains and the water scenes. Mountain Women are especially very hard working, they inspire me for my work. I specifically depicted the story of hard working women in mountain culture with the colourful mountains.” Zoobia Arif, the second prize winner, said: the mountains are one the gigantic elements painted by mother-nature on the earth, and a home for a variety of wildlife and other natural resources, and culture. I took part in this competition because I wanted to praise the beauty created by mother nature.
Farhana Munir, the second prize winner in the postgraduate category, said: “We all love to live in a peaceful surrounding. I personally dream to live in a wooden hut beside the mountains. This competition gave me the opportunity to express my feelings and imagination on a flat surface and give it a vision or a perspective that also influence others. Mountains are the part of our beloved nature which represents peace metaphorically, so we should protect our nature and try to spread peace and beauty.. at least with our words.