Award ceremony for poetry, essay contests held

Islamabad : To celebrate the seventy years of founding of the People’s Republic of China, the All Pakistan China Friendship Association (APCFA) in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre held an award ceremony for the winners of the National Poetry, Essay and Dialogue/Skit competition at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). Pakistani students showcased the all-weather friendship between the brotherly countries in a colourful display of poems, songs and dialogues with impressive performance resonating the theme, “’Is Parcham Kay sayee Tallay Hum Aik Hain’.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Yao Jing, along with Director China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qalab-e-Abbas, awarded certificates and prizes to the winning students and teachers. Other distinguished guests included Cultural Counsellor, Embassy of People’s Republicof China, Zhang Heqing; Deputy Director China Cultural Centre, Li Yanxuan and China Specialist from NUST, Professor Zamir Awan. About three hundred students and teachers participated at the event.

In his remarks Ambassador YaoJing said that Pakistan is deeply rooted in the young minds of the Chinese since the 1970s and even before. He recalled how when he was ten years old, the essays they wrote about good friends were about the friendship between Pakistan and China. He said China had very few friends in those times but Pakistan has been a friend when others looked away. He highlighted that the strength of the Sino-Pakistan relationship comes from its people, “The youth are the future and the hope for Pakistan-China relations,” he said. “Pakistan has a bright futureand the Pakistan – China relationship has a bright future to work together for regional and global peace.”

Speaking on the occasion, President APCFA, Attia Qutub, stressed that promoting youth awareness and cultural exchanges among the young generation for people to people connectivity is central to further strengthening of Pakistan-China friendship. To enable the young generation to carry forward the legacy is the need of the hour. “It is imperative that we instil in their minds its importance, we should develop a love, regard and respect for each other’s cultures, lifestyles, beliefs and go forward hand in hand,” she said.

Renowned poet and writer, Kishwar Naheed and Sinologist Professor Zamir Awan were among the judges. There were three prizes for each category. A total of twenty prizes were awarded to winning students - with three students receiving three prizes in one category. In addition, ten students received appreciation awards as. All students received certificates of appreciation.

APCFA, the pioneering association for promoting and strengthening ties between Pakistan and China, set up in 1979, has been working with dedication to promote people to people ties between the two neighbouring countries. Through stronger cultural relations APCFA has focused on cultural diplomacy for establishing an exemplary relationship with China based on shared prosperity and mutual trust.