Part 4 Faiz Am'n Mela 2018 London
Faiz Am'n Mela London 2018 has successfully carved out its unique place in the hearts of progressive activists and intellectuals of Pakistani origin living in Europe.
Like previous Melas, this year too, the Faiz Cultural Foundation UK (FCF-UK) used this opportunity to focus on one of the main challenges countenancing South Asia societies: the shrinking space for freedom of expression.
Our guests, speakers, participants and audience had come to express their serious concerns over different kinds of state measures which are aimed at suppressing free speech on mainstream media as well as social media this resonating the theme of the Faiz Am'n Mela:
'بول کہ سچ زندہ ہے اب تک'
(Speak out as the truth is still alive)
Former Chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Senator Raza Rabbani, a great progressive Pashtun activist, Ziauddin Yousufzai, an unintimidating voice of Hazaras, one of the most oppressed communities of Baluchistan, Hazara Jamila Haider, former student leader and intellectual from Norway, Arshad Butt, novelist, Muhammad Hanif, columnist Wusatullah Khan and the organizers of the FCF-UK underscored the need of plural democracy and human rights in their speeches on this occasion. It would be unfair if due credit to Malika Begum, Hasan Javed & Mohsin Zulfiqar and Ayub Aulia is not recognized for gracing this occasion by their books' launching on this evening.
The artists, Shakeel Awan, Jazim Sharma and Fizza Imam unleashed the ethos of Faiz Am'n Mela. However, the most captivating art performance of classical dance of Saberi Misra with Rajkumar Mishra and their team was the créme de la créme of the evening.
It was satisfying that the Faiz Am'n
Mela 2018 London sent a message of strong comradeship to men and women of the working class, journalism, peasants, labourers, as well as teachers, lecturers, professors, students, intellectuals, poets, literati and artists with progressive visions.
It was a timely initiative of FCF-UK that the Faiz Mela London expressed its unswerving solidarity with the democracy supporters, civil liberties advocates and freedom of expression's practitioners in Pakistan.
Along with the commitments to progressive ideas and visions of the great poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the FCF-UK also support liberal arts to engage young men and women.
While the FCF-UK has always played a leading role in defending the cause of the vulnerable and oppressed sections in Pakistanis, it always opposed bigotry, violence, sectarianism, extremism and communalism which always encourage terrorism and divide the working classes.
The FCF-UK always stood with minorities' rights weaker sections of the society, smaller nations of Pakistan, missing persons, oppressed Kashmiris, suppressed and nearly decimated Palestinians and Yemenis.
FCF-UK takes pride in its anti-imperial, anti-dictatorship, anti-fundamentalism, anti-exploitation and anti-oppression position at all levels, for people of the South Asia as well as for their diaspora in Europe and across the world.
We, the members and supporters of FCF-UK have an absolutely unwavering trust and resolve to stand by in the following vision of Faiz Ahmed Ahmed:
Hum Dekhain Gay
Lazim Hai Ke Hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
Wo Din Ke Jis Ka Wadah Hain
Jo Loh-E-Azl Pe Likha Hain
Jab Zulmo-O-Sitam Ke Koh-E-Garaan
Ruii Ki Tarha Urd Jain Gay
Hum Mehkumoon Ke Paun Talay
Ya Dharti Dhard Dhard Dharkay Gi
Aur Ehl-E-Hukam Ke Uper Jab Bijli Kard Kard Kardke Ki
Jab Arz-E-Khuda Ke Kabay Se
Sub But Uthwaaiy Jain Gay
Hum Ehl-E- Safa Mardood-E-Haram
Masnad Pe Bithaaiy Jain Gay
Sub Taaj Uchalay Jain Gay
Sub Takhat Giraaiy Jain Gaz
Bas Nam Rahay Ga Allha Ka
Jo Gayab Bhi Hai Hazir Bi
Jo Nazir Bhi Hai Manzar Bhi
Uthay Ga Analhaq Ka Nara Jo Main Bhi Ho Aur Tum Bhi Ho
Aur Raj Karay Gi Khalq-E-Khuda Jo Main Bhi Ho Aur Tum Bhi Ho
Hum Dekhay Gay
Lazim Hai Ke Hum Bhi Dekhain Gay