LAHORE: The Faiz Foundation Trust (FFT), Board of Trustees and daughter of Faiz, Moneeza Hashmi unveiled the details of the celebrations at Faiz Ghar on a Thursday afternoon.
The events includes an exhibition of photographs of the poet, the launching of a book based on the letters of Faiz written from jail, the launching of the first musical compilations from Tina Sani singing Faiz, an international mushaira, an evening with Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, Faiz Amn Mela, an evening with Tina Sani and a children’s performance along with an international colloquium on Faiz by the foundation and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums) that features a galaxy of local and international scholars.
The celebrations are set to kick start on February 7 with the opening of a photographic exhibition at the Alhmara Art Gallery. The exhibition will feature some rare family photographs of Faiz and will remain open till February 13. On February 10, the first CD of Tina Sani singing Faiz will be launched at a local hotel. Tina Sani and Shabana Azmi will recite Faiz together for the first time and that too is being presented as a record. Prominent personalities who were well acquainted with Faiz such as IA Rehman will also speak about music, culture and the poet himself.
On February 11, centennial books will be launched as part of the centennial celebrations at Alhamra Hall 2. These are a total of six publications which include Two Loves-Letters from Jail, Payam-e-Mashriq by Iqbal (translation by Faiz), Faiz Benaam Iftikhar Arif by Iftikhar Arif, Jinhain Jurm-e-Ishq Pe Naaz Tha by Salahuddin Haider, Sheeshoun Ka Maseeha: Faiz by Ashfaq Hussain and Mauzooe-e-Sukhan by Humair Hashmi. Prominent speakers including Iftikhar Arif, Zehra Nigah, Asghar Wajahat, Salima Hashmi, and others will also pay tribute to the legendary poet. An international mushaira by Pakistan Television (PTV) will be held on the same evening in which 25 poets have so far confirmed their participation.
On February 12 and 13, Lums is organizing an international colloquium with the university as the venue. Scholars, writers, poets, theater and television personalities from Pakistan, India, Canada, USA and UK will participate in this international colloquium.
On February 12, celebrated Indian artiste Shabana Azmi will be joined at Alhamra by some eminent personalities from the world of performing arts that include Shama Zaidi, Arshad Mehmood and Ila Arun and each one will present their various encounters with Faiz. Their talk will encapsulate Faiz’s poetry which will be sung by children (recorded) and live by Ila Arun and Shabana Azmi.
The Faiz Amn Mela will be held at Open Air Theatre Bagh-e-Jinnah on February 13 and many artistes and singers will perform at the mela. Veteran singer Tina Sani will also perform on the same day at Alhamra and present a number of vintage versions of Faiz’s poetry.
Moneeza Hashmi said that the Faiz Amn Mela is being organized for the first time at the Open Air Theatre since 1985. She said that two delegations of prominent Indian scholars and artistes will reach Pakistan on February 10 and 11 for the special occasion.
In addition to the activities organized by the Faiz Foundation Trust, the Pakistan Government has also decided to celebrate year 2011 as the official Faiz Year.
Moneeza Hashmi said that the centennial celebrations will continue across the world throughout the year; in India, Indian President will inaugurate these celebrations. The celebrations are also trickling to other parts of the world with celebration unfolding in Russia in April and London in June.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2011.
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