Amai in Peshawar Children's Literature Festival

Fauzia Minallah’s book ‘Amai and the Banyan Tree’ was declared the winner of Khalqiya Award 2012 for Children Literature promoting environment protection

Funkor Childart Center participated in the two-day Children’s Literature Festival held at Islamia Collegiate School with the aim to promote cultural and educational activities among the children of this conflict ridden city. The festival was arranged with the collaboration of Oxford University Press , Idara Barai Taleem o Agehi ITA and Bacha Khan Education Foundation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Festival was inaugurated by Provincial Minister for Higher Education Qazi Assad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Environment Wajid Ali Khan. Vice Chancellor of Islamia College University Dr Noor Jehan and Principal of Islamia Colligate were also present on the occasion. Fauzia Minallah’s animated tribute ‘ Malala and Amai’ was shown to an audience of nearly 3000 children at the inauguration.

At the Funkor’s stall, Fauzia Minallah’s books were displayed and a large mural ‘Malala and her Friends’ was painted by children. Children from schools in Peshawar painted the mural as well as from far off areas such as Swabi, Kabal in Swat and Landikotal in FATA. Fauzia started the mural by a sketch of Malala holding books while students drew the children with the help of stencils and painting the uniform of their schools. Some of the children who actively participated in the painting session were Riaz , Waqas, and Sohaib from Govt Higher Secondary School Kaba, Swat , Humaira Jahan, Khuzaima, Muddasir, Farya, Hira, of Daffodils Schooling System Nowshera Cantt , Mamarha Afridi, Jamaina Afridi of Bacha Khan School Landi Kotal , Zaina, Shaheera, Mahsheed of Peshawar Model School, Aqib, Wahid Ullah, Imran, M. Shahzad, Haroon Zaib, of Government Model School Palwaray Athozay Peshawar , Fawad, Khausa Shaw Nawaz, Alina Pehman, Zahra Sultana, Hafsa, Fathma Khalid, Nazia, Nadia Khalid of G.I.K.I School and Collage Topi Swabi , Mouzim Hussain, Islamic Collage and School and several Islamia University students, Iqra Minhajul Quran students also participated.
Fauzia Minallah’s book ‘Amai and the Banyan Tree’ was declared the winner of Khalqiya Award 2012 for Children Literature promoting environment protection. Kudos to ITA and OUP for organising such colourful activities for children living in cities ridden with conflict.

Mural 'Malala and Friends'