The forgotten values: PakTurk School students expose the wrongs in our society

The art pieces were based on the all-important values that have been forgotten by society.

KARACHI: Students of the PakTurk International School organised an exhibition, titled the Third Eye, at the school’s Gulshan Girls Campus on Wednesday. Over 300 students participated in the exhibition and worked in teams to produce the art pieces.

The art pieces featured in the exhibition reflected the forgotten values that once formed the fundamental basis of a society, explained the school’s senior vice-principal, Anbreen Tariq. “It is about the things spoiling our society.” She added that the ‘Third Eye’ aimed to highlight those values that the society does not see or place much importance on anymore.

At the ‘Third Eye’ exhibition at the Pak-Turk International School, students exhibited art pieces based on the themes of what they feel is lacking in our society. The event also included food stalls and dance performances by the students. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

Students of both the junior and senior sections participated in the exhibition, with the works incorporating a mix of colourful mediums. At the exhibition, the students stood by their respective art pieces, clamouring for attention as the visitors went from one piece to another, appreciating the students’ intellect and thoughtfulness.

A group of students from grade two had worked on a project about time. The piece they came up with was a cage with a clock and a Barbie doll inside it. “This shows that we can’t hold time,” explained one of the students, adding that the idea behind the piece was that one’s time on Earth is limited and must be appreciated as it could not be bought or prolonged.

The event also included games and various activities for the students and visitors, including food stalls serving both traditional Pakistani and Turkish dishes. One of the most attractive features of the event was the traditional dance. One group, dressed in traditional Turkish dances, performed a traditional Turkish dance while a second group performed a Sindhi folk dance, showering rose petals among the audience as they swerved along the floor with clay urns. Aynur Pazarci, the vice-principal of the junior section, explained that though there weren’t many Turkish people in Karachi, the school continued to spread the Turkish language and culture. “After sixth grade, the students are taught Turkish and in one year, they are quite fluent at it. There are three to four thousand common words between Turkish and Urdu so it is not difficult for the students to learn the language,” she said.

At the ‘Third Eye’ exhibition at the Pak-Turk International School, students exhibited art pieces based on the themes of what they feel is lacking in our society. The event also included food stalls and dance performances by the students. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

What sets the school apart from others in the city is that, apart from teaching the Turkish language, the students are taught the importance of moral values. The exhibition was a testimony to the fact that the students were aware of the many issues faced by society as well as their repercussions.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2014.