ISLAMABAD  – A Sufi singing contest was held at Shakarparian organised by National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage in collaboration with Mehergarh NGO.
The three best singers were awarded cash prizes by the organizers. Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Heritage & Integration, Asaf Ghafoor, the chief guest distributed prizes among the winners.
Addressing the occasion, Asaf Ghafoor said that Sufi saints in the sub-continent have contributed a lot towards creating a message of love, peace and harmony among the masses in addition to spreading Islam in the region.
She observed it is need of the hour to make aware our younger generations about the real contribution of these great Sufis, terming the event as a step forward in this direction.
In his welcoming address, Lok Virsa’s Executive Director Khalid Javaid said Lok Virsa follows a policy of involving all talented Pakistanis, in particular youth in the implementation of its policies and programmes.
Today Lok Virsa is the only unique organization in Pakistan that provide assistance to students intending to carry out original research works on the Pakistan’s cultural heritage, he maintained.
PNCA holds free puppet show today
Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), will hold a free puppet show for children and students from various educational institutions of twin cities here on September 3.
The National Puppet Theater will showcase the skills of its puppeteers featuring vibrant costumed puppets and present Folk Tales, Skits, regional dances and national songs to provide informative entertainment.
The show will highlight various issues like health, education and environment etc. Children along with parents have been invited to attend the show.
The show is a regular feature of PNCA and Ministry of National Heritage and Integration that promotes culture and traditions among the young minds with understanding of their folk legacies which is an important part of their training, said Tauqeer Nasir, Director General PNCA while talking to APP.
He said that travelling cultural and puppet shows have been organised across the country in slum areas and different schools at every province to promote the cultural values among the young generation and deprived communities.
Preservation and promotion of cultural heritage and traditional values maintain the identity of a nation and boosts the confidence of the young generation, he said.