Written by: Staff Report
Posted on: November 21, 2018 | 
| 中文
The winners of the competition with Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and H.E. Mr Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador
A group of twenty-one talented young writers, winners of an essay writing competition titled “To China, With Love – A Letter to China” gathered here in Islamabad on 20th November, 2018.
Conducted in September, the competition was arranged by the Pakistan-China Institute, in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy, and attracted participants from across the country. With nearly 2000 final entries, winners belonged to cities such as Chitral, Faisalabad, Gilgit, Hyderabad, Jhelum, Karachi, Lahore, Nowshera and Sargodha. The judges included Dr Shezra Mansab Ali, Former MNA and Pakistani delegate at UNESCO, Mr Aamir Ghauri, Resident Editor of The News, and Dr Zhang Daojian, head of Confucius Institute in NUML. They were assigned the rather monumental task of assessing the essays, in the two separate categories of Urdu language and English language. Results were announced through social media on 5th November, 2018.
Winners were invited by Pakistan-China Institute for a prize distribution ceremony, arranged in collaboration with the Chinese embassy, as part of the grand event, “Open House Event and Sangam Club Gala 2018,” yesterday afternoon. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and Pakistan-China Institute, and H.E. Yao Jing, Ambassador of China, were Chief Guests on the occasion. In his opening speech, H.E. Mr Yao Jing shed light on the achievements of CPEC while Senator Mushahid Hussain congratulated the Pakistan-China Institute for arranging a wonderful competition, showcasing the love, warmth and friendship of our people.
Shields and certificates were distributed amongst the winners. In the English category, the first prize winner was Abeera Hassan, a young pharmacy student from Karachi. Second prize winners were Hassan Ahmed, Hasan Zaheer and Momina Arif. Third prize winners were Azka Arshad, Hashim Khan, Muhammad Aizan Malik and Saba Saeed. In the Urdu category, the first prize winner was Tehzeeb Hussain Bercha, a young journalist from Gilgit, second prize winner was Abrar Rahman, while third prize winners were Faizan Malik and Aiman Riaz. Furthermore, ten participants were also selected for consolation prizes.
While addressing the 500 plus audience, the first prize winners expressed gratitude towards the embassy and Pakistan-China Institute. Abeera Hassan recognized the ties of friendship between Pakistan and China, “For everyone who believes in overcoming borders and diversity to come together as one, this is for us. Our unity is our strength, and that is showcased in this event.” Tehzeeb Hussain Bercha said, “I feel proud to represent Gilgit-Baltistan on such a prestigious platform. Gilgit-Baltistan is the closest neighbor of Xinjiang, and we grew up talking about China! The vision of Chinese leadership is a role model for Pakistan.” In addition to the 100,000 PKR prize money winners will also be considered for a trip to China.
In an exclusive conversation with Youlin Magazine, Azka Arshad from Faisalabad, third prize winner of English category said, “While researching for the essay, I realized that China is our true comrade, and a country that takes care of us!” Meanwhile, Abrar Rahman from Chitral, second prize winner of Urdu category said, “We hope that Pakistan-China Institute will continue to arrange such events, which give youth the chance to test and hone their skills.”
The event concluded with captivating performances of Folk Music and Taichi by Chinese performers. A Chinese troupe of Urdu language students performed the popular Pakistani song, “Teri Meri Aisi Dosti,” with the audience enthusiastically clapping along, while students of NUML University performed an energetic Pakistan-China Friendship song in both Urdu and Chinese language.
The response to the essay competition from Pakistani youth has clearly revealed that love for our Chinese neighbors spans the length and breadth of the country. The competition is a testament that the friendship between the two nations emerges from people to people connections, which grow stronger with each passing day.
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