Result of the Painting Competition for 9th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar

The Indo-Pak Peace calendar is an annual initiative of Aaghaz-e-Dosti. It brings together beautiful artistic expressions of the youth – the leaders of tomorrow – and inspiring words of those who have been actively engaged in nurturing a more prosperous subcontinent. The calendar aims to work as an everyday reminder of the similarities among people across the barbed wires– in habit, struggle, and the desire for peace.

This is our ninth calendar. Like every year, we received thought-provoking expressions from students of several cities in India and Pakistan. And like every year, it was a challenge to select only twelve paintings, as we firmly believe that each and every expression is precious. However, in addition to these 12 paintings, we also present here the 12 runner-up paintings.

WINNER PAINTINGS

INDIA:

1. Mahip Singh Saini, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phaghwara, Punjab (India)

2. Sachneet Kaur, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phaghwara, Punjab (India) 

3. Priyanshu Yadav,  Police DAV Public School, Ludhiana, Punjab (India)

4. Simran Saini, Police DAV Public School, Ludhiana, Punjab (India) 

 5. Arshdeep Kaur, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phaghwara, Punjab (India)  

6. Prabhnoor Basra, DRV DAV Centenary Public School, Phillaur, Punjab (India)

PAKISTAN:

1. Ariba Fatima, Punjab Group of Colleges, Muslim Town, Lahore (Pakistan)

2. Jazil Abdullah Qazi, Lahore Grammar School, Sabzazar Branch, Lahore (Pakistan)

3. Areeba Sajid, Rawalpindi Women University, Rawalpindi (Pakistan)

4. Ayaan Nasir Malik, Lahore Grammar School, Karachi (Pakistan)

5. Noor Ijaz, Lahore Grammar School, Paragon, Lahore (Pakistan) 

6. Wajiha Anwar Ali, Rana Liaquat Governments Girls Sec. School, Ibrahmin Hyderi, Karachi (Pakistan).

SHORTLISTED PAINTINGS

INDIA:

1. Neha Maniar, Delhi Public School, Bangalore, Karnataka (India) 

2. Sirjan Kaur, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phagwara, Punjab (India) 

3. Manan Jain, Kundan Vidya Mandir, Ludhiana, Punjab (India)

4.Subhashini, Notre Dame Academy, Patna, Bihar (India)

5. Priyanshi Jain, Delhi Public School, Ludhiana, Punjab (India)  

6.  Taranpreet Kaur, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phagwara, Punjab (India)   

PAKISTAN:

1. Daim Samuel, Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust Higher Secondary School, Lahore (Pakistan)

2. Sadia Khan, Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust Higher Secondary School, Lahore (Pakistan) 

3. Hannia Rehman, Lahore Grammar School, Muslim Town, Lahore (Pakistan)

4. Syeda Daania Ally, Lahore Grammar School, Karachi (Pakistan)

5. Iraj Hasan, Lahore Grammar School, Karachi (Pakistan)

6. Syeda Zoha Ahmed Gardezi, Lahore Grammar School, Karachi (Pakistan)’

We thank all participating schools and students. The certificates will be sent to all participants and winners by the end of this month. Around 20th of this month, the calendar is set to be launched in a virtual event. The participants will be contacted.

Advertisement

5th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar launched in Kyrgyz Republic

Aaghaz-e-Dosti Kyrgyz Chapter created history by launching 5^th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar internationally on Saturday February 18, 2017 at Unum Cultural Centre in Bishkek. The calendar launch was followed by a discussion titled “Sharing of Hopes for a Peaceful Co-existence”. Kayemba Nicholas was a guest speaker in the discussion. He is from Uganda and a student at International Ataturk-Alatoo University in Bishkek.

These peace calendars have 12 selected paintings (6 from India and Pakistan each) which were selected from hundreds of paintings received by Aaghaz-e-Dosti this year. Every year, Aaghaz-e-Dosti announce to invite paintings from school students in India and Pakistan on ‘Indo-Pak Friendship’ theme. The team also invites messages from 12 (6 from India and 6 from Pakistan) eminent persons working on Indo-Pak peace. After selection of paintings by jury, Indian painting with message of Pakistani peace activist and vise-versa get form of a calendar by 12 such pages i.e. one for each month and these calendars are released with a discussion ‘Sharing of Hopes for Peaceful Co-existence’ in India and Pakistan every year.

This year, we had got tremendous participation in our competition for paintings from youths of both the countries. From Pakistan, we received paintings from Balochistan, Karachi, Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan and Toba Tek Singh district. From India, we received paintings from Anupshehr (UP), Cuttack (Orissa), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Delhi, Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), Kolkata (West Bengal), Lucknow (UP), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Surat (Gujarat) and Vadodara (Gujarat). We also received a painting from an Indian student studying in Oman.

This year’s calendar has already been launched in different cities in India: Dehradun, Delhi, Mumbai and Panipat and in Pakistan: Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Toba Tek Singh. The Calendar is also scheduled to be launched in three other cities in India – Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Kolkata.

The event in Kyrgyz was the first launch of this calendar outside India and Pakistan.

The event was attended by children of different age groups, students, young professionals and parents from India, Pakistan, Uganda and Kyrgyz Republic.

Infact, the Peace Calendar was launched by future leaders i.e. our children. The children, Nasim Karim, the Kyrgyz Co-ordinator shared, took great interest in going through the pictures in the calendar drawn by students of India and Pakistan. They were very excited for the next year calendar launch as they want to participate in the competition and want to get their voices for peace published.

Nasima Karim had briefed about activities and mission of Aaghaz-e-Dosti through presentation and images. The event was wrapped up by brainstorming and networking activity to further promote friendship, peace and co-existence.

Press Release issued by

Devika Mittal

on behalf of Aaghaz-e-Dosti

For further information or for queries, email us at aaghazedosti@gmail.com

5th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar launched in India

New Delhi: On 14^th January, Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a joint Indo-Pak Friendship initiative, launched its 5^th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar in Delhi. This Indo Pak peace calendar features selected paintings (6 paintings from India and 6 from Pakistan) from schools students (Grade 8 to 12) of India and Pakistan .These Paintings depict an innocent and apolitical horizon of peace. Alongside the paintings, peace calendar includes messages from peace activists and renowned intellectuals. This year, Peace calendar includes messages of Dr. Salima Hashmi, Dr I A Rehman, Prof. Mubashir Hassan, Khadim Hussain, Lt. General (Retd) Muhammad Masood Aslam from Pakistan and Dr Shashi Tharoor, Col (retd) Virender Sahai, Major General (retd) Ashok Mehta, Dr Syeda Hameed, Dr. Kavita Sharma and Sudheendra Kulkarni from India.

The launch was followed by a discussion on ‘Sharing of Hopes’ with eminent speakers including Col. (Retd) Virendra Sahai Verma, Dr. S. N. Subba Rao, Dr. Syeda Hameed and Kamla Bhasin.

Dr S N Subba Rao talked about the importance of Jai Jagat or universalism in the present world which is torn by parochialism and boundaries of hatred on the basis of national identity. He said that much money is wasted on hatred than on peace. He regarded peace initiatives like Aaghaz-e-Dosti as peace preparation laboratory and talked about it’s importance.

Kamla Basin talked about how war creates artificial divides, boundaries, construction of we v/s them, us v/s the other wherein the other is not considered to be a full human being and is degraded. She said that nature never created any boundaries. All labeling is socially constructed. She shares her experiences of visting Pakistan and meeting with people of Pakistan.

Colonel Virendra Sahai Verma addresses the popular notions and stereotypes associated with army. He said that in times of crises, army is sent to help other countries, including the ones regarded as opponents. He talked about examples wherein army personnel have treated the prisoners of war in a non-brutal way. He said that the army is not only to defend the country but should also facilitate the reduction of conflict and its escalation into war. Military victory is important but sustenance of peace is importance for long run, for the benefits of the two countries.

Dr. Syeda Hameed talked about how our identities are increasingly becoming narrow instead of broadening. She reiterated the importance of jai jagat, universalism and humanity. She recalled instances from her initiative of taking a bus of women peace activists to Pakistan (and vice versa) and the problems that were posed to them by people of their own country. She said that interaction is important and it should always be continued.

This year, Aaghaz-e-Dosti had received thought-provoking expressions from students of several cities in India (Bulandshahr, Cuttack, Dehradun, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Surat and Vadodara) and Pakistan (Balochistan, Karachi, Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi and Toba Tek Singh). Students from Delhi whose painting was selected or was runner-up had come and talked about the vision behind their painting.

This is 5^th year of calendar launch and this year it started its journey from Lahore (1^st Jan), Toba Tek Singh (8th Jan), Peshawar (10th Jan) and now scheduled in Delhi on 14^th January, in Karachi on 28^th January and in Chandigarh on 14^th Feb.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is also planning to launch this calendar in Dehradun, Panipat, Mumbai and Kolkata and also across borders of South Asia, in Kyrgyzstan and United States of America. People from all walks of life are expected to participate and eminent speakers will share their thoughts and experiences.