Rang-e-Kainat: Paying tribute to mothers

Mother’s Day competition also saw launch of anti-child marriage campaign.

Around 80 schools participated in a competition to pay tribute to mothers in the form of song or poetry. The competition was organized by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) in collaboration with Rutgers WPF, with the latter also using the opportunity to launch its ‘Dekho, Bolo, Roko’ (see, speak, stop) campaign against child marriages and related efforts to make Pakistan child marriage free, said a press release.

Celebrations of Mother’s Day event and prize distribution ceremonies for the winners of the competition were organised in Islamabad schools, with hundreds of students, teachers and parents participating. The theme of Mother’s Day was focused around importance and responsibilities of mothers and their rights in the society.

The themes were chosen from schools4life and ASK projects.

Children from ages five to 18 years paid tribute to their mothers by singing song and reciting poems. Posters of the competition were distributed in the schools and students were encouraged to participate by recording one minute songs or poems.

Students also presented different skits and plays to pay tribute to their mothers, while doctors highlighted the issue of early child marriages and its effects on mothers. Islamabad MNA Asad Umer, the guest of honour, highlighted the importance of mothers and said collective efforts can make a big difference in a nation’s development.

Dekho, Bolo, Roko will also be launched in Quetta, Karachi, Multan and Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2014.