Independence Day celebrations: Children get the party started early

Perform national songs, special plays, folk dances

ISLAMABAD: The 70 Independence Day celebrations kicked off at the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) on Tuesday.

The celebrations started with colourful performances by children decked out in traditional costumes singing national songs (milli naghmas), performing special plays, folk songs and folk dances.

The children artists sang songs such as “Dil Dil Pakistan” and “Her Leza Ah Momin Ki Shan”, Brahvi folk song “Dane pe Dana”, Punjabi folk song “Lai Beh Qadran Nal Yari Te Tut Gait Arak Ker Ke” and “Lathe De Chadar” and a special play on the rights of children with focus on the independence celebrations.

Press Council of Pakistan Chairman Dr Salahuddin Mengal, who is also head of the Brahvi Academy, commended the efforts of promoting and projecting the traditional culture of Pakistan.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed said, “We are proud to hold the first event of the 70-year independence celebrations of the country”.

She added that the Lok Virsa had scheduled special programmes to mark 70 years of independence which will be held from August 10 to August 14. These programmes include cake cutting, an exhibition of artisans, live folk music performances and other attractions.

Earlier, the closing ceremony of a month-long summer camp in the Punjabi and Brahvi languages for children came to an end. As many as 30 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.

“The purpose of the summer camp was to sow the seeds of pluralistic society in the youth of Pakistan and provide them with an orientation about the languages, poetry, crafts, music and festivals of different provinces and communities,” Dr Saeed said, adding that the camp also contributed towards creating ownership among children regarding Pakistan’s languages and cultural heritage besides reaffirming their identity of being multicultural and pluralistic country.

During the ceremony, children were also given certificates in recognition of their participation in the summer camp and their performances in the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2017.