Beat extremism and intolerance with music and culture!

‘Mela Festival’

Islamabad

Khalid Saleemi, a Pakistani-Norwegian, who had lived most part of life in Oslo and had been the soul and spirit of the internationally acclaimed 'Mela Festival' of Oslo, brought a musical performance, titled 'Creating Horizons' to Islamabad.

A leading Norwegian pianist teamed up with Pakistani musicians from a popular TV show of Pakistan and their performance in the federal capital was applauded.

Khalid Saleemi, who had served as Deputy Director in the Norwegian Ministry of Culture launched the 'Oslo Mela Festival' back in 2001 and it has not become one of the biggest music festivals in Europe in which the musicians and singers from Asia, Africa and Latin America participate every year.

“This year the attendance in the 'Oslo Mela' has crossed well over 250,000 music lovers from different parts of the world. And we have achieved this significant popularity over a period of 15 years,” Khalid Saleemi said while talking to 'The News' after the performance.

“We are entrapped in extremely hostile conditions by the oppressive capitalist forces and are being roughed up by the extremist and intolerant elements. The only way we can fight back and get out of the clutches of these capitalist forces and dispel the fear and terror being cast by these terrorist and extremist elements is through culture. Through music and song, through film and drama, through opening up and interacting with others,” Khalid Saleemi said.

He said that the 'Oslo Mela' was launched the same year the world was challenged by the elements, which tried to terrorize the peace-loving people with extreme acts of violence.

“I believe that through this 'Mela Festival' in Oslo, we started making 'elbow space'. After 15 years of the start of this month-long Festival and keeping in view that the participation to this event, which has already crossed 250,000, I can say with all the confidence that not only we have been successful in creating our own space but we are expanding with each passing year," Khalid Saleemi said.

"This forum, 'Creating Horizons' is aimed at creating our own space. And this is the way to fight the oppressive, extremist and intolerant forces. Fight them with art and culture," Khalid Saleemi added.

Bugge Wesseltoft, the Norwegian pianist, who performed with the Pakistani musicians, while talking to 'The News' said that it was over four years ago that he first had the chance to perform with these guys.

"I was visiting Mumbai (India) when my attention was drawn to these guys performing in the 'Coke Studio'. And we met up. We decided to team up and we practiced and played together. And we hit the right chords and since then we are playing together whenever there is an opportunity for us," Bugge said.

"This is my second visit to Pakistan and this time I had better exposure and more opportunities to meet with people and travel through the country. I travelled from Lahore to Islamabad by road and on the way we documented our journey. I believe the people are loving and hospitable, the cities are culturally rich and thriving and the country side is simply breathtaking. I have enjoyed each and every moment of my stay here," Bugge told 'The News'.

The Coke Studio fame drummer, Louis J. Pinto, ('Gumby' for his friends) seemed always to be hiding behind a shy smile and preferred to cast his glances away or shrink back in his shell after every rocking performance by lowering his head and fidgeting with the sticks and plates.

But while talking to 'The News', he turned out to be a passionate and proud Pakistani who was keen to keep his national identity, particularly while performing abroad.

"It was over four years ago that I had the opportunity to perform with Bugge in Oslo and since then we have been tied in a relationship based and blossoming on music. He was here for a performance in May last year and we were scheduled to play in Islamabad as well. However, because of the tragic Naltar helicopter crash in which the Norwegian ambassador along with many more dignitaries was killed. Though the Norwegian embassy was still ready to host our show but we felt that the tragedy was too big and we have to respect that. So, after a few performances in Karachi before the chopper crash, he left for home," Louis Pinto said.

He said that it felt so nice to perform in Islamabad, especially with Tina Sani amidst such a beautiful weather on a moon-lit night. But he was somewhat disappointed by the response of the crowd, which, he said, kept chattering through the performance quite loud.

"We performed together many a times and during last year also we had a few performances and recordings done in Karachi before he left in middle of the tour following the death of the Norwegian ambassador in the helicopter crash. It had always been a great joy for all of us," Louis Pinto said.

He said that through music, art and culture we can make a huge difference because these are the things which attract everybody, irrespective of age and gender. "If we may pay more attention at promoting music, art and culture, we can draw our youth back to healthy activities instead of drifting away and falling in the clutches of anti-social elements and become fodder for the guns of hate mongers and terrorists," he said.