Puppeteers enthral schoolchildren

Islamabad : The Argentine Embassy organised a puppet show on its premises here on Wednesday to mark the International Students’ Day.

The minor students of government, private and street-run schools of Islamabad attended the event in large numbers.

Puppeteers of the Lahore-based Rafi Peer Theatre enthralled the audience with songs and improvised situations on the subject of the need for children to respect each other and not to engage in aggressive attitudes due to differences in income, ethnicity and physical appearance.

The event supported by the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad and the United Nations was slated to take place the G-6 Argentine Park adjacent to the Polyclinic hospital but the rain forced the embassy to hold it on its premises in F-6/2.

Ambassador of Argentina Ivan Ivanissevich said the puppet show was held to promote respect for diversity and difference and offered an opportunity to bring together children from very poor, middle class and high-income backgrounds to respect each other and enjoy an art form that had a very long tradition in Pakistan.

He said children and grownups often rejected those who were different due to ignorance regarding their abilities, beliefs, appearances, habits or traditions.

“Such an attitude is a natural thing but it is also something that can be overcome by talking to one another, listening and finding out what is it that we all share.

“Rejecting or bullying those who are less well-off or different to us produces situations in which nobody wins. Making an effort to understand one another, sharing games or helping one another will always make our lives much more enjoyable, help promote creativity and ensure a better future for everybody,” he said.

The ambassador said when one studied or did something at school, he or she should not only think of being the best student, but he or she should also think about helping others in the class so that the entire class becomes the best class.

Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz, who was the chief guest at the event, praised the Argentine Embassy for holding the puppet show and said more and more such events should take place with the help of other foreign embassies in the city for the learning and recreation of children. He said such events also helped promote the country’s good image abroad.

In a bid to promote unity, chairs weren't placed there, prompting all participants and guests to sit on the floor with the ambassador.

The embassy served lunch boxes to participants with the cooperation of Serena Hotels and gave away bags with footballs and volleyballs to the participating schools with the support of Atlas Sports, Sialkot.

The ambassador and guests later mingled with the children and learned about their views about the performances.