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    Faiz International Festival, Lahore

    Written by: Salma Chaudhry
    Posted on: November 23, 2015 |

    Faiz Ahmad Faiz with his wife Alys

    The Faiz International Festival was organized to honor the great poet and his progressive ideas, which are as relevant today as they were some 60 years ago. The festival was organized by Faiz Ghar and inaugurated by the Governor of Punjab on November 19th amidst much fanfare. The theme of the festival, ‘Bol Ke Such Zinda Hai Ab Tak’, was a tribute to his vision of a more egalitarian and just society. The festival included plays, musical evenings and discussions on Faiz’s ideas and work. Renowned singers including Tahira Sayed, Sonam Kalra and Ali Sethi performed, while Mira Hashmi and Sarmad Khoosat discussed ‘Writing for Films and Writing about Films’. In another session on ‘The Future of Politics of the Left’, Abid Hassan Manto, Asim Sajjad Akhtar, Tariq Ali and Alia Amir discussed how the younger generation was becoming disinterested in politics in general, let alone progressive politics. But the highlight of the festival remained the performance by the legendary Bollywood Superstar, Naseeruddin Shah.

    Naseeruddin Shah as Einstein: On war, questions, Bombs and Science!

    “It is never a mistake to ask questions” – Naseerudin Shah’s ‘Einstein’ quickly set off as a one-character play, with the actor sitting on a chair in a cozy Princeton living room set, comprising a small library of books, a violin, a typewriter, a blackboard with several calculations scrawled on it, and a sculpture of Newton in the background. Towards the side was another screen projection that showed pictures and references to the known scientists and historical moments mentioned by the actor during the play. An admirable blend of emotions, physics, history and human reality is what would best describe the experience of this play.  Entwined within the gossamer of Einstein’s story was a consciousness that touched the heart. The play highlighted the moral responsibility that comes with scientific inventions, depicting the human side of a scientist who went against the tide to prove that war cannot be humanized, but can only be abolished.

    Naseeruddin Shah

    Naseeruddin Shah

    Stagecraft and lights were used effectively when Einstein (Naseeruddin Shah) explained his theories to the audience in layman’s terms. There were some moments of laughter, especially when Einstein explained his theory of relativity in one sentence on special request as “when you’re sitting on a hot stove, a minute feels like an hour but when you’re talking to a pretty girl, an hour feels like a minute.” The reference to the use of atomic bomb in World War II, and the events that led to this destructive invention, were powerful and thought-provoking. The many-hued vignettes of Einstein’s life were touching. He talked about his relationships, his struggles, and most importantly how he suffered during World War II: “Einstein is a liar and his theory of relativity is a Jewish Theory”. This reference to one of the charges made against him in Berlin made the audience chuckle. The play had some extremely powerful messages, including a critique of our education system that discourages the development of an enquiring mind.

    Intense character acting by Naseeruddin Shah made the play emotive, profound and entertaining, which was directed by the actor himself. Unconventional and impulsive, Einstein’s character was realistically depicted. The brilliant actor kept the audience engaged and yearning for more. The play ended on a very powerful note when Einstein declared, “the most incomprehensible thing about the universe is, that it is comprehensible.”

    Faiz International Festival 2015

     

    Rozan-e-Zindan Se – Letters of Faiz and Alys Faiz

    During the 1950s, life became difficult for Faiz and his family when he was in jail for four years. Faiz and Alys Faiz were a source of strength to each other through their correspondence over this period of hardship. Naeem Tahir read Faiz’s letters, while Yasmin Tahir was the voice of Alys Faiz in a moving production by Ajoka. Despite the difficulties, the deep and unshakable love they felt for each other and their children was evident in the letters. It was a treat to listen to such a beautiful script, and lovers of Urdu were captivated by the beautiful prose for almost an hour. The dance performance on ‘Raat Yunhi Dil Mein Teri Khoi Hui Yaad’ and ‘Dasht-e-Tanhai Mein’ by Wahab Shah and Sohai Abro was graceful. With a perfect combination of movement, color and melody, the enactment of Faiz’s poetry in-between the readings was a visual feast. The production conveyed the blending of music, prose and poetry in a beautiful lamp-lit set, with Faiz and Alys reading to each other. As in all great performances, the audience had a sense of participation in this conversation of love, wit and courage in the face of challenging circumstances.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021