Art Contest 'Young People for Peaceful & Tolerant Society'

Center for Civic Education Pakistan CCEPand the British High Commission organised the Art Contest 2009 ‘Young People for a Peaceful and Tolerant Society’. Fauzia Minallah worked as the Chief Technical Adviser for this project.

Pakistan is going through turbulent times. Growing militancy has worsened the security situation in many parts of the country. As a society we are greatly segregated along class and ideological lines. There is a growing need for greater opportunities of dialogue between different segments of society.

Young people in Pakistan, who constitute a major chunk of the population rarely get an opportunity to express themselves. This project involved students from diverse back grounds and social strata, even from Madrassahs, to work on art based projects (calligraphy and painting) that offered them a platform to share their ideas and vision. Facilitated by the Center for Civic Education Pakistan CCEP, this project was organized in Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi, Quetta, and Mirpur (AJK). Each workshop was for three days and had an average of 50 – 90 young participants, from 4 – 6 different educational institutions in each project city, along with one teacher from each institution.

A three-day workshop in each city was held in the months of February - March 2009. In each workshop we had 4 – 5 renowned artists from the city as resource persons. Ustad Khurshid Alam Gauhar Qalam, the award winning calligraphist and teacher at the NCA, Lahore, designed the calligraphy manual and provided all the material for the calligraphic work. Khurshid Alam Gauhar Qalam was the resource calligraphist in Lahore while he designated his student and assistant Hafiz Saeed to travel to 5 cities as the resource person.

On the first day each workshop began with an inspirational lecture by an eminent scholar on ‘Peace and Tolerance’, followed by a 30 minutes presentation by each resource artist on their work. Each artist talked about their work.

Each presentation was viewed with great interest by the students, whether it was the depiction of natural beauty by veteran artist Ghulam Rasul, thought provoking political imagery of Rahat Saeed, the intricate water colours by Ghalib Baqir, Tayyaba Aziz and Dr. Ghulam Shabbier, Kaleem Khan’s beautiful landscapes of Balochistan and figurative work of Usman Ghauri. Since, we had some Madrassah students too, it was very important that the images were not too explicit for them. At the end of the first day, students were given an assignment to bring thumbnail sketches about their ideas.

Although this workshop was not designed for art students, there were students from the Home Economics College and COMSATS, with some background in arts. However most of the participants had limited exposure while some were painting for the first time. The aim of these workshops was more about expression of ideas, thoughts and feelings and what those paintings told us about the child, rather than judging them. For example, the second prize was awarded to 15 year old Syed Mudassar of Idara Taalim i Islami, for the beautiful message conveyed in his painting, and also considering that coming from a Madrassa he opted for painting rather than calligraphy.

Obtaining great pieces of art was not the main aim for this workshop but rather ensuring that the process was a sensitive human interaction with students some of whom have never painted in their lives before. All the artists participating in this workshop displayed this sensitivity and encouraged the youth to express their feelings in a rich repertoire of images.

Quetta
Location : Iqra University, Quetta

Trainers : Kaleem Khan, Mubarak Shah, Mohd Ayub, Hafiz Saeed

Agha Nasir (Lecture)

Coordinator: Shiza Tareen. Iqra University

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Mirpur
Location : University College of Home Economics, Mirpur

Trainers : Hafiz Saeed Ahmed, Ahmed Habib, Adnan Khan,
Fareeha Nazneen

Surayya Abbas (lecture)

Coordinator: Rafia Khanum, Dean Faculty of Home Economics. AJK University, Mirpur

Peshawar
Trainers : Jehanzeb Malik, Tayyeba Aziz, Dr. Ghulam Shabbir,
Abbas Ali, Hafiz Saeed Ahmed
Dr Nazir Tabassum (Lecture)

Coordinator: Farmanullah Anjum.
Director, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Peshawar

Islamabad
Location: Preston University, Islamabad

Trainers: Ghulam Rasul, Rahat Saeed, Hafiz Saeed Ahmed, Ahmed Habib, Saima Ali

Kishwar Naheed (lecture)

Coordinator: Murtaza Noor ( HEC)

Karachi
Location: Preston University, Karachi.

Trainers :Ghalib Baqar, Asmaa Hashmi, Usman Ghauri, Syeda Habib, Hafiz Saeed
Zafarullah Khan (Lecture)

Coordinator: Nisho Siddiqui, Deputy Registrar, Preston University, Karachi

Lahore
Location: University of Punjab (I E R), Lahore .

Trainers: Khurshid Alam Gauhar Qalam, Hafiz Saeed Ahmed, Sameeha Qadeer
Abdul Rauf (Lecture)

Coordinator: Dr. Shahida Manzoor. University College of Art and Design, University of Punjab

Calligraphy

Shazia Aslam
University College of Home Economics, Mirpur

Islam, indeed a religion of peace and prosperity has inspired me to opt for Calligraphy.
My inspiration of koofic art is since childhood. And today also my work is depicting my inspiration. I believe in Islam and Allah is great. .I want to further continue my effort in the field of calligraphy.

Tayyaba Nazir Awan
Department of Architecture and Design
COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology

Sadaf Farooq
Government Degree College, Mirpur

The verse I have chosen is ‘Allah is Omni present’ Allah has created this universe, and created this earth, sky, moon, stars. Allah has blessed us with countless blessings and gave us Intellect , unfortunately we are not grateful to Allah.

Adil Hussain Jamia Rizwiya al Uloom

I have chosen the Quranic ayah ‘The one who saves one human, saves the whole of humanity’.
Mohd Saeed Shaukat
Dar-ul-uloom Naeemia Karachi

My painting gives the message of peace and satisfaction. The leaf on the line of cease fire indicates the peace and development of friendly relation between the two countries, and the two flags of the two countries are joined together, this is a proof of a peaceful dialogue.
Tuba Rani
University College of Home Economics, Mirpur

The theme of my painting is ‘love and tolerance’. In my painting I have shown two birds, sitting on a wall. It is evening and both the birds are in a state of harmony. One bird is giving a gift to the other. This is how we can spread love and this is how there will be peace.
Syed Muddassar
Idara -e- Taleemaat –e – Islamia, Islamabad

My painting is based on the poetry of the famous Sufi poet Rehman Baba:
Not for a single moment, am I indifferent to you!
Not indifferent to your invocation and reflection!
Whatever shrine I go to, I have you in mind!
I am not interested in any pilgrimage to mosque or temple!

Adnan Khan, Government College, Peshawar

A church, a mosque and a tree shaped like a globe reflects my desire for a dialogue between the ‘West’ and the ‘East’.People from different religions are shown in the foreground.

Sulman Khan Swati.
Islamia College University, Peshawar

“In my painting I have shown a blue sky. For me a blue sky is a symbol of peace because I think that the peace of the sky is never shattered, I have shown a world in the sky. The symbol of a mosque represents the East while a Church stands for the West. There is a lot of tension between East and West these days. Islam and Christianity are the largest religions of the world which is why I have depicted them. I have painted a Christmas tree and no one is fighting in my painting because they live in the sky”.

Mohd Abdullah Abbassi
Dar-ul-uloom Naeemia Karachi

I have shown the footwear of worshippers outside a mosque. Everyone has to leave their shoes outside, and whether it is the rich or the poor, everyone is equal inside a mosque. For me ‘equality’ of human beings is the meaning of peace.
Aleem
Karachi University

In this chaotic world, peace and tolerance can be promoted with the light of hope and strength. The minerat symbolizes that Islam is the religion of peace and tranquility and the ray represents harmony in today’s world where there’s no tolerance. If we can understand our religion properly we can achieve peace and tolerance. Textural effects have been used to depict, tension, chaos and lack of harmony and the particles or the dot effect is used to distinguish, hope and strength through religion. Dark shades and tints are used to enhance the background tones.

Faryal Abdullah.

College of Home Economics, Lahore.

My painting’s main object is a baby in a womb. Any living thing is more secure in a womb. The dark background shows sorrow and violence in the world. Light colors show happiness.

Maryam Hossain
College of Home Economics , Karachi

A bubble reflects the peaceful life of a society. It is sensitive, delicate and beautiful. It flows with smooth wind and breeze. Just a little gesture may shatter it forever.
It also reminds me of my infant life which was peaceful, unharmed and filled with example of tolerance. “The barren tree is blossoming with the bubbles of life and this message is flowing throughout the universe. We do not enclose peace but let it breathe and fly.

Midhat un Nisa
Department of Architecture and Design
COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology

My painting is based on the Quranic ayat ‘ Hold Allah’s rope firmly, and do not divide into factions’. It reflects my feelings for a united Pakistan. A Pakistan, where people of all religions and ideologies are united for the sake of a stronger Pakistan.

Zaib- un- nissa.College of Home Economics, Peshawar

I have shown in my painting a Pakistan where there is peace children are busy playing without any fear. I have shown a Pakistani family under a big Pakistani flag. It depicts that under the shadow of our flag we stand united and no one will divide us.

Mohd Shehzad Raza Dar-ul-Aloom Naeemia, Karachi

The message that I am basically trying to put across is that violence and intolerance prevailing in our society has scarred the social lattice we live in. In the painting, my basic inspiration is the honeycomb and I’ve tried to relate this to the life of an individual in this world. In my work I’ve expressed that if such tiny insects can live harmoniously within a single community, with their different statuses and workloads divided, why cant we?

There are stars visible during the day, the world basks in the potential the universe has to offer and yet a solitary figure remains detached and disillusioned. The question is-how quickly can we bring back the lost peace and tranquility to our world, before it inflicts permanent, irreversible damage?

Neha Ansari
Department of Architecture and Design
COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology

In my painting I wanted to show a city where there is peace. In this painting I have shown the unity between our different ethnic groups in Baluchistan i.e Baluchi, Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi and Hazara, living together with peace and tolerance.

Umaira Ishaque
Govt Girls College Quetta Cantt

In my painting I tried to show ‘Peace’ by highlighting the beautiful aspect of my Baluchi culture. I have painted the Baluchi musical instruments ‘damboora’ and ‘suruz’. I want the music of these instruments to live forever.
Amir Gichki.
Iqra University. Quetta.

The theme of my painting is peace and tolerance. There is moon, Gautama Buddha and the Buddha tree; they all are symbols of peace.
Buddha is sitting under a tree, a prince who ran away from the world to attain and feel peace. He is tolerant. He is bearing hardship. He is fasting, is thirsty but peace is best food for his soul. I have learnt tolerance from him. As he is sitting under the tree and the days are passing he is moving towards peace, more and more peac, day by day and that peace is represented by moon in my painting.

Rafia Maroof
AJK University, Mirpur Campus

A mothers lap is the best place for peace. Where we forget our all sorrows and worries. A Mother is also a symbol for our home land……
Mother…..!
You are close to God
Though I’m a little sad
Yet the force of your love
Gathering prayers and blessings
Brings me prosperity and peace.

Sadia Tanvir
M.T.E (PU)


I feel now we need ‘peace’ more than ever before, especially for those Kashmiris who live in Pakistan and India. This is how I have expressed my feelings.

Sonia Fazal
Government Girls College Mirpur

I have really enjoyed this workshop because it brought ( Deeni ) religious and (Dunyawi) regular colleges at the same platform and promoted the message of ‘peace’ and ‘tolerance’ there should be many more workshops like these so that the coming generation should be aware of the beautiful colors of the world. I have painted the name of Allah the great.

Hammad Abbassi
Dar-ul-uloom Muhammadia Ghosia

For more information visit
http://www.civiceducation.org/Paintingsexh.php