TURBAT: A three-day Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) was organised by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) at the Balochistan Residential College (BRC) Turbat was inaugurated here on Monday by Mrs. Asim Bajwa, wife of Commander Southern Command.
A large number of children, from Turbat, Panjgur and other remote areas like Pasni participated in the festival. Former minister Zubaida Jalal played a vital role in the oganising the festival while the wife of Frontier Core (South) director general’s wife and other women also attended the festival.
CLF Founder and ITA Trustee Baela Jamil expressed her happiness and said, “It is very encouraging to see that the children of Turbat and other areas are aware and want access to better education facilities. Organising a successful festival at Turbat is like a dream come true.”
At the festival, several awareness sessions were conducted for the children in different halls of BRC. The session halls were given names from local tradition as Meri Qila, Haji Jalal Khan Rind, Mehar Garh, Gul Khan Naseer, Princess of Hope, Atha Shadh, Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi, Shahi Tump, Mullah Fazul, Mir Chakar Khan and Gidaan.
In the session ‘Today’s Readers, Tomorrow’s Leaders’, Rumana Hussain, Zubaida Jalal and Raheela Baqai informed the enthusiastic students about the importance of reading and how it not only expands one’s vision but opens up the heart and mind. The session was moderated by Khursheed Hyder.
Raheela Baqai informed the keen participants that there is more than just writing and publishing a book. Bookmaking too can be considered an art and she explained the various stages that go into the making of a book. Another star attraction at the festival was Atif Badar who had the children’s attention in an interactive talk the various stages of theatre productions.
Eminent journalist and author Zubeida Mustafa spoke at the session ‘Sunno, Dekho aur Bolo’. The session was interactive as children asked the author questions.
A special session regarding formal education in Madrassahs was organised by the Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP). The panelists included Zubaida Jalal and BRSP CEO Nadir Gul Barrech. The session focused on the need for formal education in Madrassahs to help the counter extremism narrative.
One of the attractions at the CLF Turbat was the unique 3D images and sand art in which the images seem realistic. Creations by Zubair Mukhtar, Bahar Ali Gauhar and Hussain Zeb from Pasni were on display on the BRC grounds. Excited children were seen at the stalls with the photography exhibition, the making of traditional Baloch music instruments and local embroideries.
The chief guest at the closing ceremony was Chief of Army Staff’s wife Begum Qamar Bajwa. She was welcomed by Zubaida Jalal and Baela Raza Jamil.
She stressed on the importance of education and appreciated the organizers for arranging such a wonderful festival for the children of the Makran belt. She visited the activity stalls and distributed prizes among winning students.
Inshallah I will participate
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