Hundreds attend Faiz festival

Shahab Ansari *** Sher Ali Khalti

LAHORE: The Faiz International Festival kicked off Friday at Alhamra, The Mall, amid a refreshing and reassuring echo of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry all over the venue, with inauguration of an exhibition in the Alhamra’s Permanente Art Gallery, "Aao Such, Jagao Such” & special exhibition in connection with the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

Hundreds of people from all walks of life, including intellectuals, poets, lawyers, students, thronged the venue to attend this three-day long mega event.

The cultural horizon of the city became alive and abuzz with the inauguration of this, one of the biggest literary & cultural festivals in this part of the country, which is being attended by renowned scholars, not only from within the country, but also from India and UK.

Faiz International Festival is an amalgamation of music, art and literature. It brings for the audience theatre performances, musical evenings, film shows, art exhibitions, discussions, folk nights and much more.

Expressing their heartfelt gratitude towards the hospitality of the Pakistan people in general & Lahorites in particular, the distinguished guests scholars & delegates from India, UK and other countries were all praise for the warmth and love showered upon them by the people of Pakistan. They said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz & Baba Nanak had one thing in common and that is the message of love for all humanity. The scholars and distinguished foreign guests, including Bhawandar Singh, Arvindar Chamuk and Ruth Padel paid rich tributes to Pakistani people, Faiz Foundation and Faiz Ahmed Faiz for the love for humanity and the message of peace.

On the first day of the festival, two performances, including "An Evening with Ali Sethi named Gulon Mein Rung Bharay" and A Play by Ajoka Theatre "Saira and Maira" dedicated to Asma Jehangir were held. More than 100 scholars, speakers and panelists are participating in the event.

On Saturday, dance performance by the students of Lahore Grammar School will be held. A session on “Faiz Influence on International Poetry” will be discussed. Politics of left in Pakistan will be discussed by Farooq Tariq, Ammar Rasheed and Jalila Haidar, a session on Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto: The psychodynamics of his Rise Fall will be held at Alhamra Hall. Pakistan: The Way forward will also be discussed on the occasion.

A Kathak performance will also be held in the evening of the second day of this mega festival. It is pertinent to note that Jang Group (Geo TV, Daily Jang & The News) is the media partner of this grand event in the provincial metropolis.