LAHORE, March 12: A confluence of the literati at the inaugural day of the 10th Saarc Writers Conference emphasized the need for removing linguistic barriers to ensure harmonious living.

They also highlighted the importance of art and culture as a means to bring peace to the region. "Art and culture should be a unifying factor and not a dividing line (between these countries)," they said. The three-day moot is being organized by the Alhamra Arts Centre.

Deliberating upon the theme of defiance and self-assertion in feminist literature, one of the issues confronting the South Asian nations, keynote speaker Zubaida Gulshan Ara of Bangladesh appreciated the role of women in proving their mettle through creative skills. "The feminist movement today is very strong in Saarc countries."

She also gave a historical overview of the plight of women in South Asian countries, especially in Bangladesh, and how the power of pen gave courage to them in the recent past. Women, she said, had learnt to swim against the current.

Pakistan's Zubeida Hina, a short-story writer and recipient of Saarc literary award, added to the argument by saying that modern women had deviated from conventions and fought well against religious fanaticism.

Other speakers, Ajit Kaur of India among them, urged the writers to continue with this struggle. They said the writers must give a vision to the politicians to bring about peace and harmonious living because they were capable of negating all the intentions of war through creativity.

They said the creation of Saarc was a new concept that was based more on cultural expression than political one. "The academics, intellectuals and writers of the seven (Saarc) countries should also share intelligence through English language, which is no more an exclusive property."

They also stressed the need for improving the intellectual support system.

The session concluded with a slide presentation on the subject by compere Saleema Hashmi.