The Speakers at a folk music event here on Friday termed the country\u2019s diverse culture a convincing tool to forge unity and promote interfaith harmony among the communities of different faiths, languages, religions, castes and areas.
\nThe Shaheed Bhutto Foundation (SBF) in collaboration with the PeaceFLIX and Banjaarun platform organised the seminar-cum-folk dance performance show titled \u201cRaqs-e-Aman\u201d (the dance of peace) and gathered people hailing from all the provinces and federating units of the country, where street children of Mashal Trust School performed dance on folk songs in Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Punjabi, Sheena and Kashmiri languages.
\nIn his welcome remarks, Shaheed Bhutto Foundation, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Asif Khan said, \u201cToday\u2019s topic is peace and it\u2019s the fundamental human right whereas nations could not prosper without it.
\nPeace could not be sustained for the enduring time period in our country due to prolonged extremism, fundamentalism and conflicts with the neighbouring countries,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s the only unfortunate region that is not integrated.
\nWe are totally isolated and it\u2019s a major drawback.
\nThe countries that got independence along us had excelled in economy, education, science and development and on the contrary, this region had existed peacefully in the ancient times,\u201d he said.
\nThe SBF CEO underlined that peace was in the genes of the people of this region. \u201cAll our federating units preach peace.
\nThe teachings of Punjabi Sufi saints all advocate and promote peace.\u201d
\nThe panel discussions were moderated by a senior journalist from the Banjaarun digital platform Imrana Komal.
\nYoung journalist, Ambreen Ali from NewsOne spoke on the culture and history of dance in Sindhi society. In her broef yet eloquent discussion she expressed the important historical and linguistic history of Sindhi culture.
\nSenior Radio Broadcaster, Rukhsana Musarrat deliberated on Punjabi culture. She regretted the lack of communication by Punjabi parents in their vernacular with their children which resulted in the decline of the Punjabi language.
\nSenior Journalist, Rakshanda Taj Baloch from APP presented her views on the Balochi language and culture. She mentioned that Baloch literature and poetry promoted peace, love and harmony whereas the cultural dance Chapp gave the message of peace and gave an opportunity for catharsis. She mentioned that despite violence and war peace was still alive in the hearts of Baloch people.
\nMalik Riaz Bangash from Pashtun Action Committee said that the Pashtun history was rich in culture and arts. He claimed that peace was more found in Pashtun culture as it had its own culture, honour, constitution, manifesto and system in itself.
\nSenior Journalist Fouzia Kulsoom Rana from the Women Journalist Association said when the process of dialogue was halted; peace was disrupted. She compiled the entire discussion made by the panellists and extended her gratitude to the panellists for their candid remarks.
\nThe street children performed traditional songs in Sindhi, Brahvi, Punjabi, Pushto, Shena, and Kashmiri.
\nDuring the second session, Mumtaz Mughal, Director of Aurat Foundation said the women who have contributed to peace-making in their regions should be promoted through art and literature to promote harmony in the society.
\nVice President, of the National Press Club, Islamabad, Myra Imran said the ills in our society like poverty, extremism, and exploitation of women were flagged by different organisations in the past decades but were ignored and resulted in major catastrophes.
\nShe noted that the community and societies should lead the change and avoid waiting others for to bring any change for betterment. \u201cMedia has a crucial role and students in Universities need to resolve these issues. Culture is a tool to unite and forget our problems,\u201d she added.
\nChief Guest, Mashal Trust founder, Zeeba Hussain in her address said the culture had nothing to do with religion it was a separate thing that promoted peace and love in the society.
\nCommenting on her motivation for Mashal Trust, she said after getting a brain tumour, she decided to work for street children.
\nShe added that the trust started with children wandering on shrines and engaged them through sports and love as youth, communities and societies all start from children. \u201cOur culture is our identity like the love of our mother and their lullabies that engraved the emotions of love and care among us. These children got affected due to violence and sexual abuse that\u2019s why I started this endeavour to bring them to par with the society.\u201d
\nShe said the youth and children were the future of the country and it would reclaim it.
\nGuest of Honour, Senior Broadcaster and programme director Radio Pakistan, Manzoor Kamran in his keynote address commended the street children\u2019s performance.
\nHe said the poetry of Sufi saints gave the message of peace, unity and tolerance.
\n\u201cEvery region of Pakistan has a lovely culture, literature and art that gives a message of peace. We need to express our culture through our music, clothes, jewellery etc. It\u2019s our collective expression that unites us whereas interfaith harmony is the need of the hour and we will have to promote peace and love,\u201d he ended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Speakers at a folk music event here on Friday termed the country\u2019s diverse culture a convincing tool to forge unity and promote interfaith harmony among the communities of different faiths, languages, religions, castes and areas. The Shaheed Bhutto Foundation (SBF) in collaboration with the PeaceFLIX and Banjaarun platform organised the seminar-cum-folk dance performance show […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":351650,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[4557,3139],"class_list":{"0":"post-351642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national","8":"tag-interfaith-harmony","9":"tag-unity"},"yoast_head":"\n