Guru Nanak international conference from 14th

LAHORE:A five-day Guru Nanak Dev 30th International Conference on Punjabi literature and culture will be held in Lahore from February 14th to 18th.

More than 100 delegates are participating from India, Canada, UK, Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany. Giving the details about the conference, World Punjabi Congress Chairman Fakhar Zaman told the media that the Indian delegation consisting of 100 delegates would be taken to Kartarpur Sahib and Nankana Sahib. This way this conference will supplement the opening of Kartarpur corridor. The first day of the conference is dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev and delegates will read papers on Guru Nanak Dev’s teachings, his life and influence on humanity. Fakhar Zaman said that the topics of discussion on the next two days include an overview of Pakistani and Indian Punjabi novel and short-story, the heroic tradition of Punjab, the Punjabi criticism in India and Pakistan, the contemporary novel in Indian and Pakistani Punjab, overview of modern Punjabi poetry in both the Punjab and building bridges of peace between the two countries.

Two documentaries in English on Baba Farid and Baba Bulleh Shah will be shown on the evening of first day of the conference. Indian Punjab’s renowned folk singer Pammi Bai will perform on the evening of the second day, there will be a Punjabi poetry recital on the afternoon of third day and a cultural programme in the evening. The delegates from India include eminent educationists, writers, poets, artists and representatives of other professional groups. The Pakistani delegates will come from all over Punjab and Lahore. Fakhar Zaman said that this is going to be the biggest International Punjabi conference on both sides of the border. Arrangements have been made in a local hotel where delegates will stay as well as conference will be held there. This is the 30th conference under the auspices of World Punjabi Conference. Previously International Conferences have been held in Pakistan and India, UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Austria and France. A booklet will be issued in the conference titled the profile of foreign delegates. In the final session, Lahore declaration will be issued highlighting the point of discussions in the conference.

GCU farewell: A farewell ceremony was held at Government College University, Lahore, to pay glowing tribute to the services of 81-year-old eminent plasma physicist Prof Dr G. Murtaza for the university.

Prof Murtaza’s tenure as Professor Salam Chair is concluding next week. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi chaired the farewell ceremony and announced appointing Dr Murtaza as the Distinguished Professor of Physics.

Italian team: Delegates from Italian universities, including University of Palermo and Center for International Studies visited Punjab University (PU) and called upon Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhter at his office here Friday.

The delegations comprised of University of Palermo Rector Prof Fabrizio Micari, Prof Salvatore Casabona, Human Resource Manager Ms Giuseppa Lenzo, Centre for International Studies Italy Director Mr Gabriele Icovino and Senior Analyst Asia Ms Francesca Manenti.