Islamabad-National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) on Tuesday commenced 70 years Independence Day celebrations with number of performances and plays.
The celebrations started in collaboration with Brahvi Academy Pakistan and Federal Directorate of Education.
It was an integral part of the overall activities chalked out by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Government of Pakistan regarding these celebrations.
The ceremony presented a number of colourful performances including patriotic songs, special plays, folk songs and folk dances, all presented by children in traditional costumes.
Children presented patriotic songs ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ & ‘Aye Putar Hatan Te Nei Wikde’, Kalam-e-Iqbal, ‘Her Leza Ah Momin Ki Shan’, Brahvi folk song ‘Dane Pe Dana’and a special play on the rights of children with focus on the independence celebrations.
Earlier, Lok Virsa in collaboration with Brahvi Academy Pakistan organized a one month ‘Children Summer Camp in Punjabi and Brahvi Languages’ from 5th to 31st July 2017.
Thirty children participated in the camp and learnt vocabulary and a lot about the indigenous folk cultures, traditions, folk music, rituals and other aspects of Punjabi and Brahvi communities. During the ceremony, children were also granted certificates in recognition of their participation in the summer camp and their performances in the ceremony.
Dr Salahuddin Mengal, Chairman, Press Council of Pakistan, who is also Chairman of Brahvi Academy Pakistan, graced the event as chief guest. In his address, Dr Mengal commended the efforts of Lok Virsa for promoting and projecting the traditional culture of Pakistan in such a beautiful way.
In her welcoming speech, Dr Fouzia Saeed, Executive Director (ED), Lok Virsa said, “We are proud to hold today the first event of the seventy-year independence celebrations of Pakistan.”
She said that purpose of the summer camp was to sow the seeds of pluralistic society in the youth of Pakistan and provide them an orientation about the languages, poetry, crafts, music and festivals of different provinces and communities.
The camp also contributed immensely towards creating ownership among children regarding Pakistan’s languages and cultural heritage besides reaffirming our identity of being multi-cultural and pluralistic country.
The children besides their classes, also visited different museums and explored the beauty and richness of Pakistani culture and heritage, she maintained.
Senior member of Lok Virsa Board of Governors from Gilgit Baltistan Taqi Akhundzada was also attended the ceremony.
A large number of people from various walks of life including children and youth, teachers, educationists, etc. also thronged the event and enjoyed the thrilling performances presented by children.
The special programs of Lok Virsa under the series of 70 years independence celebrations of Pakistan will be held from 10th August to 14th August with special activities like cake cutting, exhibition of artisans-at-work, live folk musical performances and several other attractions.