LAHORE: In a meeting held at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, chaired by Information and Culture Secretary Raja Jahangir different cultural departments were given an outline for preparations for celebrations of 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in November and proposals were sought from the departments within a week in this regard, sources told Dawn.

The Punjab government is keenly emphasising religious tourism and this grand event of the Sikh community would be celebrated on a high note by roping in all culture departments that would design and suggest events.

The sources said the meeting was attended by Lahore Arts Council Executive Director Athar Ali Khan, Punjab Council of Arts Executive Director Saman Rai, Deputy Director Art and Culture of the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture Asim Chauhdry, representatives of Babe-i-Pakistan project, Film Censor Board, Punjab Information Commission, Lahore Museum and officials of other departments.

The meeting exclusively discussed various aspects of religious tourism in anticipation of the visit of thousands of Sikh devotees in November 2019 from India and other countries of the world.

The meeting was told that the Information and Culture Department would come up with a number of cultural activities such as exhibitions, theatre plays and musical evenings.

Sources said a suggestion was forwarded in the meeting that a temporary art gallery would be set up at Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur in which pictorial journey of all the sacred places of Sikhs in Pakistan would be mapped out. Books written on Sikhs and on their scared places would also be part of the exhibition. There would also be grand musical events at Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur which would be commercial ones and entry would be through tickets. The Lahore Museum would put on display an especial exhibition featuring Sikh artworks and culture.

Raja Jahangir told Dawn cultural institutions such as Punjab Council of the Arts, LAC, Pilac and Lahore Museum had been directed to come up with their proposals regarding the events they could organise.

He said the Punjab government was organising cultural activities on a large scale to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

GERMAN ENVOY: German ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck on Monday visited the Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, and met Lahore Arts Council (LAC) Board of Governors chairperson Moneeza Hashmi and Executive Director Ather Ali Khan.

Talking to Mr Schlagheck, Ms Hashmi said, “We are promoting positive social values through festivals in the field of arts, the LAC’s priority is to teach children performing and visual art and creating ways to give opportunity to the youth to learn art”.

She said Alhamra was promoting art and culture at the national and international level.

Ather Ali Khan said the council was patronising both performing and visual arts such as theatre, literature, dance and music through festivals and workshops.

The German ambassador was given a presentation on the activities of Alhamra, which he appreciated. He said cultural beauty of Pakistan was admirable and Alhamra was the recognition of Pakistan on international level.

The ambassador visited Alhamra Art Gallery, archives and research centre.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2019