PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK: 10-047

Islamabad: 13th October 2010

To promote creativity of the talented young students of Pakistan, the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Islamabad has organized an Art and Speech Competition about Japan on Wednesday 13th October, 2010 at the National Art Gallery, Islamabad.  The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has held this event in various cities of Pakistan since 1995, which amounts to fifteen years. Different schools in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar participated in the Art and Speech Competition about Japan. Although the Embassy of Japan used to organize this event in Peshawar in the past, but the security concerns did not allow the event to be held there for the last couple of years. Therefore, the students from Peshawar happily travelled to Islamabad, instead, to participate in the competition this year.

Two 12 to 14 years-old students from each school drew pictures in the art competition on the themes of their own choice related to Japan and Pakistan. There is no doubt that art nurtures one’s self-esteem, self-discipline and self-motivation. It provides an outlet for the creativity and expression that reflects emotions, critical thinking and relationships. Art can also play a major role in the development of an aesthetic sense. To judge the creativity of young artists, Ms. Mussarrat Nahid Imam, Director, Visual Art and Curator National Art Gallery and Ms. Fauzia Minallah, renowned artist, writer and publisher of book on Sadako, along with a representative of the Embassy of Japan made up the panel of judges for the Art Competition.

Similarly, one student from each school competed in the Speech Competition in Urdu with a topic of their own choice related to Japan and Pakistan. The panel of judges for the speech competition comprised of Mrs. Nabila Sajjad, Assistant Professor, Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/4, Mrs. Tahira Ikram, Associate Professor (Retd) Waqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College, Rawalpindi, Mr. Sultan Sikander Khan, former President MAAP, and a representative from the Embassy of Japan.

This competition provided an opportunity for young and talented students to focus and to express themselves on the growing cordial relations between Japan and Pakistan. In the future, they may help to hold bridges of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

On the recommendations of the judges, the prize winners of the  Art Competition about Japan are as follows:
First Prize:     Sana Saeed, OPF Girls College, F-8/2, Islamabad
Second Prize: Syeda Hamd Binte Razi, Schola Nova, F-8/3, Islamabad
Third Prize:   Tuba Majeed, Roots School System, F-8/4, Islamabad

The names of the Prize Winners in Speech Competition about Japan are as follows:
First Prize:   Rabiya Adnan, Sir Syed Public School, Tipu Road, Rawalpindi
Second Prize: Rehab Hashmi, OPF Girls College, Rawalpindi
Third Prize:   Muhammad Ismail, Islamabad College for Boys, G-6/3, Islamabad

The names of prize winners in Art Competition about Japan from Peshawar are as follows:
            First Prize:     Mr. Mudassar, Institute of Learning & Motivation, Peshawar
            Second Prize: Shujia Nadeem, Lahore Grammar School, Peshawar
            Third Prize:   Syed Hassan Zulfiqar, Edward College School, Peshawar

The names of prize winners in Speech Competition about Japan from Peshawar are as follows:

            First Prize:     Asad Rehman Khattak, Edward College School, Peshawar
            Second Prize: Nabeel, Beaconhouse School System, Peshawar
            Third Prize:   Aimal Khan, Lahore Grammar School, Senior Campus, Peshawar

Mr. Chihiro Atsumi, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mrs. Atsumi, Syed Ijlal Haider Zaidi, President PJCA, Mr. Fazal Karim Afridi, Honorary Consul General for Japan in Peshawar and Mr. Tauqeer Nasir, Director General PNCA, awarded certificates and souvenirs to the position holders of the Art and Speech Competition about Japan. All students were given certificates of participation. (End)