Indonesia-Pakistan calligraphy exhibition inaugurated

The three-day Indonesia-Pakistan Calligraphy and Indonesian Batik Exhibition and National Skill Development Workshops, inaugurated on Thursday, at National Art Gallery, Pakistan National Council of the Arts, has attracted a large number of visitors on its second day on Friday.
People from various walks of life including students from the universities, arts colleges, technical institutes and lovers of arts and crafts, painters, designers etc. largely visited National Art Gallery to see the rare paintings, calligraphy, Batik designs, and handicrafts of Indonesian calligraphers and artisans.
37 students from the Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi, National College of Arts, Rawalpindi, Talagang Vocational Training Centre, Talagandg, Department of Fine Arts, Peshawar University, Government Polytechnic Institute for Women, Arbab Road, Peshawar and Hunarkada, Islamabad have participated in Skill Development Workshops.
During the workshops, Master Calligraphers of Indonesia and Pakistan, Didin Sirajuddin, Iham Khoiri, Ustad Irfan Khan and Imran Ahmed gave demonstration on various techniques of Calligraphy and Calligraphy-arts. Indonesian Batik Master Hendri Saprapto gave demonstration on various patterns of Batik art on cloth and wood.
Later, in a ceremony, the participating students were awarded certificates. The three-day Indonesia-Pakistan Cultural Exhibition and Skill Development Workshops were inaugurated last evening by the Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the present government, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has always encouraged collaboration within the country and outside the country with international partners and stakeholders.
He said, in line with the present government's policy to strengthen TVET activities, Chairman, Navtec, Adnan A. Khwaja has also played on important role in strengthening the TVET sectors. He appreciated the initiative taken by Navtec to shift from curricula based technical education and vocational training to competency based training.
Addressing the ceremony, Secretary, Government of Pakistan / Executive Director, Navtec, Muhammad Athar Tahir said that Navtec, for the first time in the nation's history has developed National Skills Strategy 2009-2013. Navtec's vision is "Skills for Employability for all", he added.
Executive Director informed that the Navtec, under the President's "Funni Maharat Programme" and Prime Minister's "Hunarmand Programme" and in collaboration with leading training institutes in public and private sectors, has succeeded to get over 100,000 youth trained in various useful trades.
Muhammad Athar Tahir, who is also co-curator of Waxing Lyrical: Indonesia-Pakistan Cultural Exhibition and Skill Development Workshops", said that it is Navtec's first joint effort with another country. It is a particular pleasure that it is with Indonesia, he remarked.
On the occasion, the Executive Director, Navtec, also gave a brief resume of Indonesian Batik and Calligraphy and the reasons of their popularity in Indonesian culture and traditions. He thanked the PNCA, Pakistan Calligraphs-artists Guild (PCG) and Pakistan Islamic Arts Institute (PIAI) for their help and assistance in holding these exhibitions and the workshops.-PR