When Indians share emotions, desire for friendship with Pakistan
Ajoka Theatre makes significant contribution in peace building between Pakistan, India

LAHORE – The Ajoka Theatre of Pakistan was able to make a modest but significant contribution to the cause of peace building between Pakistan and India when it held a Theatre for Peace festival in Delhi in September 2015.

Humsaya was the first-ever theatre festival of Pakistani plays held in India and its timing gave it a special importance in view of the on-going tensions and absence of meaningful communication between the two governments.

Held at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi, the festival was inaugurated by India’s Cultural Minister Mahesh Sharma along with Ajoka’s Madeea Gauhar and Shahid Nadeem. The festival opened with iconic play Bulha, followed by Dara. The play was recently produced by National Theatre in Britain and ran for nearly three months.

Kaun Hai Yeh Gustakh was a tribute to Saadat Hassan Manto – a great short story writer. Recently released film Manto is also based on this play. The festival concluded with Lo Phir Basant Aee – a new play – celebrating rich and lively culture of Lahore.

All four shows were jam-packed with long queues forming outside Kamani Auditorium several hours before the show time. Each performance received prolonged standing ovations. Audience stayed back after the performances to meet the artists and share their emotions and desire for friendship.

Besides diplomats and bureaucrats, the audience included artists, theatre professionals and students. A reception was arranged at the Pakistan High Commission in honour of the Ajoka team in which Acting High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmad Khan also participated.

The Indian media also gave good coverage to the event including newspapers and TV channels. A local TV channel produced a special episode on the festival. “The festival will be remembered for its innovative artistry, multiple shades of colour and inspired performances by the cast. It was a festival that celebrated peace, friendship and human values,” a newspaper’s reviewer wrote.

– Theatre for Peace seminar –

Ajoka also organised an Indo-Pakistan Theatre for Peace seminar at the School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. The panelists included Usha Ganguli from Kolkata, Ashis Sen Gupta from Shiligri, Kewal Dhaliwal from Amritsar, Asghar Nadeem Syed and Madeeha Gauhar from Lahore. Peace campaigner and scholar Pran Nevile presided and Shahid Nadeem moderated the event.

A large number of the students, faculty and theatre practitioners attended the seminar. The hosts included Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament (CIPOD) and the Association of Asian Scholars. The panelists shared their experience of promoting peace through theatre at local, national and regional levels and answered questions from the audience.

Dr Sawarn Singh of the Jawaharla Nehru University, peace activist Satya Paul and former ambassador Veena Sikri also expressed their views on the subject.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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