PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK 11-31

Islamabad: 29th September, 2011

To promote creativity of the talented young students of Pakistan, the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts organized an Art and Speech Competition about Japan at the National Art Gallery, Islamabad on Thursday 29th September, 2011. The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan has held this event in various cities of Pakistan since 1995. Different schools in Islamabad and Rawalpindi participated in the Art and Speech Competition about Japan.

Two 12 to 14 years-old students from each school drew pictures in the art competition on the theme 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. Also it can play a major role in the development of an aesthetic sense. As judges, 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 for the Art Competition.

Similarly, one student from each school competed in the Speech Competition in Urdu with a topic related to Japan. The panel of judges for the speech competition comprised of Mrs. Nabila Sajjad, Assistant Professor, Islamabad Model College for Girls, 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 Children’s Art Competition About Japan were as follows:
First Prize: Maheen Shahid, The City School, Islamabad
Second Prize: M Hamza Ayaz, Beaconhouse, Margalla Campus, Islamabad
Third Prize: Dilawaiz Sultan, St Mary’s Cambridge School, Rawalpindi

The Names of the Prize Winners in Speech Competition were as follows:
First Prize: Summiya Najam, Bahria College, Islamabad
Second Prize: Abdullah Amir, Joint Staff School & College, Rawalpindi
Third Prize: Tayyaba Aslam, Springfield Public School, Rawalpindi

Mr. Hiroshi Oe, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mrs. Midori Oe, Syed Ijlal Haider Zaidi, President PJCA, and Mr. Hassan Abbas Raza, Acting 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)