KARACHI: Learning is not just about reading books or learning by rote, said provincial education minister and chief guest Nisar Khuhro at the closing ceremony of the International Schools Educational Olympiad (ISEO) 2014 at Karachi High School (KHS) on Friday.
"It is also about understanding life, and life cannot be experienced without cultural activities and sports," he said. After a gap of two years following the demise of its founder Parveen Kassim in June 2012, the International Schools Educational Olympiad (ISEO) 2014 made a triumphant return to Karachi on November 11.
"The potential of the children here today is encouraging because it shows what this nation is capable of," said Khuhro. "I can confidently say that you will do even better tomorrow, because tomorrow is always better than yesterday."
ISEO, which was conceived by Parveen in 2000, has hosted over 18,000 students from across the country and the globe, including participants from India and the US. Unfortunately, Indian students were unable to participate this year because they could not get visas. The competitions held during the last three days included art, photography, theatre, debate, vocals, filmmaking, quiz, elocution, open mic, a cyber fair and the newest addition: beatboxing. Past events have included scrabble, chess, dance, music and modelling competitions.
"It was Parveen's dream that all schools come together and interact on one platform," said Shaheena Wilson, a KHS teacher who has been helping to arrange this event since the beginning.
"ISEO has hosted up to 150 schools in the past but this time we only had 60 since most schools are having their exams," explained Sumitra Fernandez, another teacher and organiser. "This is also why we only held it over four days instead of our usual six."
Parveen's daughter Faiza kicked off the event by lighting the ISEO lamp as the KHS choir sang the Olympiad anthem, 'Legend in My Time'. A video showing Parveen talking about ISEO was shown as a tribute. The closing ceremony also included phenomenal beatboxing, theatre and dance performances by students. Meanwhile, KHA students performed a qawwali, a short theatre play and a musical tribute to Parveen.
Another chief guest, Dr Attaur Rahman, the president of Pakistan Academy of Sciences, in his address discussed the advances made by modern science. He also invited students to come and visit his laboratory at the University of Karachi, where they would be able to see state of the art equipment.
The Olympiad winners were presented with awards and certificates by the two chief guests as well as Ayla Raza, Shahmik Ahmed, art critic Marjorie Hussain and Frederick O Nazareth. The ISEO judges and moderators included singer Tina Sani, photographer Tapu Javeri, graphic designer Riffat Aliani and filmmaker Maheen Zia.
In the end, though, it wasn't about winning or losing. As a KHS student said, "We're just doing it for fun."
Published in The Express Tribune, November 16th, 2014.
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