Role of Media stressed in Education Policy

Printed in Pak. Observer on 30th Sept. 2010.

Islamabad— Media and civil professionals on Tuesday attended a rare Seminar at the ‘Media and Civil Society Collaboration Workshop’ in Islamabad. The speakers proposed an alliance between media and education activists to improve the dismal state of Education sector in Pakistan. The Workshop was organized by Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE) and sponsored by Open Society Institute.

A number of local journalists and education experts representing various organizations attended the one-day workshop.

Revival of a forgotten art in Islamabad

Edited news version printed in Pakistan Observer on Sept. 24, 2010.

Islamabad: A three-day calligraphy workshop was sponsored by Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) for the art learners (from Sept. 21-23, 2010), which has truly injected a new life to the forgotten art of calligraphy among Pakistanis. The rare workshop was arranged by the efforts of Director General PNCA, Mr. Tauqeer Nasir in order to revive the interest of youth in Islamic art of calligraphy.

Upon entering the huge room of the workshop, few students were found scattered around the room, busy with their painting brushes and papers. At the front of the room, a man was sitting with a desk full of calligraphic scriptures and few youngsters gathered around him asking different questions. This man is Mohammad Elahi Bukhsh Muttee, an eminent calligrapher who remained quite busy teaching some 40 students about the skill of writing original form of calligraphy to the students.

Japanese Film Festival in Islamabad

Published in Pakistan Observer on Sept. 23, 2010.
Sana Jamal
ISLAMABAD: The Japanese Film Festival screened two films “Sumo do, Sumo don’t” and “Tokyo- Tower” at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) auditorium on Wednesday 22nd September, 2010.
This Film Festival arranged by the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the PNCA and Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, was open to school children and the public on Wednesday; and was keenly attended by the students (10-16 years of age) of Anglo-Arabic School, Beaconhouse School, Jinnah Public School and Sheikh Zayed International School of Islamabad.

The first film screened “Sumo do, Sumo don’t” (103 minutes long) was greatly appreciated by the school children and teenagers who thoroughly enjoyed every part of the film.