Advisor to PM announces first-ever ‘Institute of Calligraphy’
ISLAMABAD: The four-day International Calligraphy Exhibition (ICE) concluded on Monday, after displaying more than 100 unique calligraphy art pieces by national and international calligraphers, arranging a thought provoking seminar and a live calligraphy teaching workshop.
The exhibition was arranged by the National History and Literary Heritage (NHLH) division in collaboration with Research Center for Islamic History, Arts and Culture (IRCICA) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).
NHLH Division Federal Secretary Engineer Aamir Ha the an was chief guest on the occasion while Joint Secretaries Abdul Majeed Niazi and Syed Junaid Akhlaq, and Managing Director Dr Inamul Haq Javed were also present on the occasion.
Speaking to the audience, the federal secretary said that the art of calligraphy could not lose its attraction due to its strong linkages with religion, culture and civilisation.
He said that the participation of national and international calligraphers in this exhibition had portrayed an art friendly, peaceful and enlightened Pakistan at international level.
He also thanked the officials of IRCICA, NBF and other relevant departments for extending cooperation to make this event a big success.
He assured that his division would continue to arrange such events in future as well, fulfilling its duty to promote art and cultural heritage of Pakistan.
The exhibition displayed the work of the artists belonging to different parts of Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Tunisia, Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Britain, Thailand, Sudan and Jordan.
During the exhibition, Advisor to Prime Minister on NHLH Irfan Siddiqui announced various initiatives, including establishing first-ever ‘Institute of Calligraphy’ in the capital and a directory of calligraphers across the country.
The advisor also announced that his division will take steps to include calligraphy as a subject in the academic curriculum and also introduce stipends for outstanding calligraphers besides arranging training courses for calligraphers and exchange programmes.
Along with the exhibition, a Calligraphy Workshop was also arranged where professionals from different countries practically demonstrated different calligraphy styles in presence of a number of young and professional calligraphers.
A seminar titled ‘Fun-i-Khatati; Tahafuz aur Faroqh Key Taqazey’ was also arranged on Saturday as part of the exhibition.
