\u201cA story of inspiration, hope and believing in dreams.\u201d
\nISLAMABAD
\nThe film \u201cMinahil\u201d, directed by Wajahat Malik, premiered at the Serena Hotel Islamabad. Minahil is an inspirational docu-drama about a young girl from Chitral playing ice-hockey and how her participation in the sport has contributed to her empowerment. The film was co-funded by Serena Hotels and the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad.
\nSerena Hotels has been actively supporting women in sports via sponsorships. Notable mentions are acclaimed mountaineer Samina Baig whose first solo climb was in sponsorship of Serena Hotel talented footballer Karishma Ali to attend the Global Sports Week in Paris, France.
\nOther sports and adventure initiatives include partnerships with diplomatic missions such as supporting cricket for blind girls, where professional Australian players train young girls & Serena hosts matches to hone their talent, providing them with skills to help them build their futures.
\nAlong with a mentorship programme that the management launched with professional female golf players to encourage the participation of females in golf. Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO of Serena Hotels, South and Central Asia, believes in supporting gender equity & empowerment through our various initiatives.
\nSerena Hotels partners with the High Commission of Canada in Pakistan to uplift and empower rural communities, one example of this partnership is supporting girls playing ice-hockey as a part of the High Commission\u2019s signature winter sports public diplomacy initiative.
\nThis collective effort by the High Commission, in partnership with other local partners, aims to empower women and girls, drive socio-economic development at the community level, promote sustainable tourism, and raise awareness about climate change and environmental conservation in line with Canada\u2019s Feminist Foreign Policy.
\nThis year, the High Commission of Canada in Pakistan and Serena Hotels supported Eyebex Films with the hopes of bringing the stories of personal victories and achievements of some of the beneficiaries of the programme to the big screen.
\nThe docu-drama \u201cMinahil\u201d highlights the inspiring journey of the Booni Girls ice hockey team from Chitral, showcasing their determination and the transformative power of inclusion and gender equality. Through this we hope to inspire support for women and girls\u2019 equal access to all aspects of socio-economic life. It serves as a poignant reminder that human rights are universal and that women\u2019s rights are human rights.
\nSpeaking at the premiere, Amanda DeSadeleer, First Secretary for Political and Public Affairs at the High Commission of Canada, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, \u201cThe Booni story is a powerful one, and that is why we were thrilled when film director Wajahat Malik wanted to take on the job of capturing the work of the Booni Environmental Academy and how ice hockey, specifically girls ice hockey, has been at the heart of their journey.
\nWe hope you, and the rest of the world, will be as inspired as we have been to watch these courageous girls become confident and successful young women, both on and off the ice.\u201d
\nImran Hassan, Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing, Serena Hotels, South and Central Asia, commented on the film\u2019s impact, stating that stories like this should be showcased on a global platform, as it promotes and showcases the potential of the females of Pakistan positively and proactively, especially in sports.
\nThe premiere of \u201cMinahil\u201d proved to be an extraordinary event, uniting supporters of gender equality, sports enthusiasts, and champions of women\u2019s empowerment.
\nThrough this collaboration, Serena Hotels and the High Commission of Canada have demonstrated their commitment to support the empowerment of rural communities, promote inclusivity, gender equality and inspire positive change for environment conservation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cA story of inspiration, hope and believing in dreams.\u201d ISLAMABAD The film \u201cMinahil\u201d, directed by Wajahat Malik, premiered at the Serena Hotel Islamabad. Minahil is an inspirational docu-drama about a young girl from Chitral playing ice-hockey and how her participation in the sport has contributed to her empowerment. The film was co-funded by Serena Hotels […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":338214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-338182","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n