Mismanagement mars art competition at PNCA

ISLAMABAD The wonderfully thematic event entitled 'art and speech competition about Japan, arranged here Wednesday at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) was ended on the mismanagement by the Japan Embassy staff members, and the disgrace shown to the students especially to their unfortunate female teachers who accompanied to them right from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Embassy of a rich country could not arrange even drinking water for the participants until the event completed. At the end of the event, only the students were given one small pack of chips and a low-quality juice in the name of 'lunch box. The female teachers who stretched their hand for the 'lunch box at the exit of the auditorium were refused disgracefully. Japan Embassy staff left all the envelopes containing certificates of the participants at the stage of the PNCA auditorium for the female teachers to find their own from the pile of envelopes. However, the local youth between the ages of 12-14 years expressed their creativity and thoughtfulness about Japan and its ties with Pakistan in the art and speech competition 'About Japan. The contests were arranged by the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Islamabad to promote creativity of the talented local young. The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has been arranging the same kind of events in various cities of Pakistan since 1995. Different schools in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar participated in the Wednesdays competition arranged in the Federal Capital. The students belonging to Peshawar were invited to Islamabad because of the security concerns due to which the event could not be arranged there for the last couple of years. One student from each school participated in the art competition. All the participants focused the cultural aspects of Japan or the Pakistan-Japan ties in different sectors. The diversity of thoughts and creative pursuits of the Pakistani youth inspired all the visitors especially the Japanese envoy to Pakistan Chihiro Atsumi and his spouse. Both took keen interest in every piece of artwork by the young. In the art competition among the students of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Sana Saeed, OPF Girls College, F-8/2, Islamabad, won the first prize while Syeda Hamd Binte Razi, Schola Nova, F-8/3, Islamabad, and Tuba Majeed, Roots School System, F-8/4, Islamabad, won the second and third prizes respectively. The winners of art competition among the Peshawar-based students included Mudassar, Institute of Learning & Motivation, Peshawar, Shujia Nadeem, Lahore Grammar School, Peshawar, and Syed Hassan Zulfiqar, Edward College School, Peshawar, who won first, second and third prizes respectively. The speech contest was open to one student each from one school. All the participants delivered their speeches in Urdu language on the topic related to Japan and economic and cultural relations with Pakistan. This competition provided an opportunity for young and talented students to express themselves on the growing cordial relations between Japan and Pakistan. In the future, they may help to hold bridges of friendship and cooperation between the two nations. Rabiya Adnan, Sir Syed Public School, Tipu Road, Rawalpindi, Rehab Hashmi, OPF Girls College, Islamabad, Muhammad Ismail, Islamabad College for Boys, G-6/3, Islamabad, were declared the winners of the top three prizes respectively in the speech content among the Rawalpindi and Islamabad based students. Among the Peshawar-based students the top three prizes were clinched by Asad Rehman Khattak, Edward College School, Peshawar, Nabeel, Beaconhouse School System, Peshawar, and Aimal Khan, Lahore Grammar School, Senior Campus, Peshawar. Chihiro Atsumi, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, and his wife, Syed Ijlal Haider Zaidi, President Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Islamabad, Fazal Karim Afridi, Honorary Consul General for Japan in Peshawar and Tauqeer Nasir, Director General PNCA, awarded certificates and souvenirs to the winners.