Shahab Ansari LAHORE :There is a dire need to protect the world heritage which is a common asset of all the people of the world. Since this great heritage which belongs to everyone is in great danger; therefore, we should play our role in its protection and restoration. This was the consensus among the main speakers at the inaugural ceremony of the six exhibitions inaugurated by renowned journalist, intellectual and human rights activist IA Rehman after the inauguration of the photographs exhibition in connection with Faiz Ahmad Faiz International Festival kicked off at Alhamra Arts Council, The Mall on Friday. Speaking on this occasion, IA Rehman, the chief guest of the inaugural ceremony, said that with the support of the people and followers of Faiz we will be able to organise Faiz Festival for many years to come. He added that the presence of the renowned and distinguished guests who came from abroad for this mega event is also a very positive happening since it will send the truly soft image of Pakistan to the rest of the world. Salima Hashmi, one of the main organisers of the festival, expressed the need to save our cultural heritage as it is an asset for the entire humanity. Syrian Architect, Ms Safi, who has been working on the sites of world heritage and has showcased her work's photographs in this exhibition, overjoyed to be in Pakistan and said "it was an honour to me to come to Pakistan and showcase my work". She said the heritage is vanishing very fast and there is a dire need to protect it since it is a common heritage of all the people in the world and the coming generations. She added that she had showcased the heritage in her photographs being exhibited in Alhamra permanent Art Gallery Friday with the main objective of creating awareness about this great heritage which belongs to all the people of this world. Ajoka Theatre play "Lo Phir Basant Ayi" was staged at Hall No 2, in the evening. Our correspondent adds: The Punjab government needs to increase five percent more women employment quota and the Punjab Job Portal and Business Training Programmes should be extended to the university and district level, including in Layyah district. This was recommended by youth delegates from Layyah district while presenting a charter of demands during a two-day, Nov 16 and Nov 17, workshop in Lahore. A youth development NGO in collaboration with Oxfam organised the event titled “Workshop on Punjab Youth Policy (PYP) 2012: Orientation & Making Synergies with Youth of District Layyah.” Twenty youth delegates, including fifteen girls, from Layyah district participated in the workshop aimed at making synergies of Empower Youth for Work (EYW) Programme, being run in Layyah by the NGO and Oxfam, with Implementation of Punjab Youth Policy 2012 and seek the government support to empower young people especially young women in Layyah district. Youth delegates of the workshop prepared a charter of demands according to the pressing needs of Layyah and aligned with stipulations and pledges of the Punjab Youth Policy 2012. It urged the Punjab government to establish skill development facilities up to the union council level and introduce courses in shoe making, solar energy tools repairing, knitting, shorthand, spoken English and Chinese language, entrepreneurship, soft skills, etc. It proposed training both male and female in modern agricultural techniques, providing career counseling and extending interest-free loans to the youth in the district. There is also a need to upgrade existing intermediate colleges for women in the district to the status of postgraduate institutions, the charter of demands said. The government officials included Hamza Tariq from chief minister’s Special Monitoring Unit, Salman Amin, Punjab Information Technology Board, Muhammad Shahid, Labour & HRD Department and Mehmmod ul Hassan, PIU-PSDP.Awais Saeed Piracha from Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries (LCCI), Kamran Shams and Shahid Safdar, Akhuwat, Nabila Malick, Rahnuma FPAP, Rizwan-ul-Haq UNFPA and Sumera Asif, RCDP, were also among the workshop participants. Seher Afsheen from Oxfam said after its completion the EYW programme looked forward to confident girls who would independently contribute to their own well-being and welfare of their families.
