LAHORE: Faiz Ghar has much to offer to literature and culture buffs from January onwards.

The upcoming events include launch of a 14-track CD of leading singers of the country, an audio book on Faiz’s Urdu translation of Allama Iqbal’s Persian poetry, a fundraiser with Ali Zafar, Faiz Mela and a research project on minorities with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Brimming with activities, Faiz Ghar is a project of the Faiz Foundation Trust. It was set up for the promotion of progressive and humanistic ideas of Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984). This wonderful venue has on display Faiz’s memorabilia like letters, manuscripts, marriage certificate, educational degrees, photographs, newspaper articles and books.

2014 promises to be a full-of-life year for Faiz Ghar because of wide canvas of happenings it has planned. Prior to that a project to be unveiled by next week is a book ‘Dear Heart’ -- a collection of letters written from 1951 to 1955 by Alys Faiz to her husband during his imprisonment. The book had been out of print for the last many years. It has been re-printed now and will be available at Faiz Ghar from next week.

“We have a series of programmes and projects for 2014,” Moneeza Hashmi, Faiz’s daughter who is one of the trustees of the project, told Dawn.

She said the upcoming audio CD had 14 tracks composed by Shahid Tusi, a composer of great merit known for composing a collection of Nayyera Noor songs based on Faiz’s poetry. The singers in the new collection are Abida Parveen, Shafqat Amanat, Tina Sani, Fareeha Pervaiz, Hina Nasrullah, Saira Raza, Dar Masooma and Nadeem Aslam, she said.Faiz Ghar would also release an audio book comprising Urdu translation of Allama Iqbal’s poetic collection Pyam-i-Mashriq by Faiz. The Urdu translation would be recited by Faiz’s grandson, Adeel Hashmi, who had sought guidance from Zia Mohyeddin, Dr Arfia Syeda and Dr Nauman-ul-Haq.

A fundraiser concert with Ali Zafar would also be organised by Faiz Ghar on Feb 15. Faiz Mela would be held at Kala Qadir village in Narowal in collaboration with the PTV a few days from now.

Faiz Ghar is also doing a research project with the HRCP. Books would be printed on Pakistanis who belong to religious minorities such as Dr Abdus Salam and Cecil Chaudhry as part of this three-year project funded by the European Commission, Ms Hashmi said.

Naseeruddin Shah is scheduled to visit Pakistan in 2014 to raise funds for Faiz Ghar.

He would also hold a two-week theatre workshop in Lahore and the participants would stage a play after this activity, she said.