Press release

HAIKU EDUCATION WORKSHOP BEGINS AT NUML

PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK 16-06

Islamabad: 16th February 2016

The Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Pakistan Haiku Society and National University of Modern Languages has organized a three-day Haiku Education Workshop from 16th to 18th February 2016 at the premises of National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad. The purpose of organizing Haiku Education Workshop is to teach the art of Haiku poetry writing in Urdu to the young students of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Mr. Toshikazu Isomura, Counselor & Head of Public Affairs, Embassy of Japan, today inaugurated the workshop which will be concluded on 18th February, 2016. Prominent Pakistani Haiku poets Mr. Ali Yasir and Mr. Ali Muhammad Farshi will conduct the haiku training workshop.
The Embassy of Japan has been holding Haiku Education Workshop for the last couple of years in collaboration with the Pakistan Haiku Society (PHS). This year more than 50 students from different colleges and universities of the twin cities are participating in the workshop.
Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that dates back to the 17th century. Haiku is the most precise, compact and condensed poetry originating in Japan. Haiku is defined as an unrhymed verse, written in 5-7-5 syllabic form, usually in three lines. Its subjects are predominantly nature and life experiences. Haiku, one of the most important forms of traditional Japanese poetry, still remains popular in modern Japan, and in recent years its popularity has also spread to many countries including Pakistan. Many poets in Pakistan today practice this compact yet profound and evocative form of expression that leaves a lot of room for interpretation and subtlety.
Mr. Toshikazu Isomura while speaking at the inaugural session of the Haiku Education Workshop appreciated the students for showing their interest in learning the skills of writing Urdu Haiku poetry. Mr. Isomura hoped that this education workshop would be beneficial for the students to learn the basics of this unique form of Japanese poetry.

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