Pak Afghan Youth Forum (PAYF) is organizing Iqbal Day at Gharjistan University in Kabul, Afghanistan, to honor Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s birth anniversary on November 9th, 2022. For this reason, the Kabul Chapter of PAYF is pleased to launch writing, sketching and art competitions.
Since, writing, sketching and art are expressions depicting the ‘self’ and ‘other’ – Youth engagement in such activities in fact provides an opportunity to encourage ideation to chart out solution-oriented responses that are novel in nature. As the love and affection between Iqbal and the Afghans has been mutual, therefore the commemoration of November 9th will be to acknowledge Iqbal’s immense contributions to Pak-Afghan region; In particular, Iqbal’s call for Khudi [individuality] as the aim of the Quranic revelation, holds prominence even today for both countries. For Pakistan, he is the spiritual father, and for Afghanistan, he is ‘Iqbal Lahori’. Holding a unique place in Persian literature, he is revered among the Muslims of South Asia due to his advocacy for wonderful concepts, such as, Khudi [Self], Bekhudi [Selfless], Sooz [Passion], etc – the ones, apt to be translated into ‘action’ making his poetry a bang to wake up the masses of the Indian-Subcontinent and influenced the political thought of Asia.
At a time when Afghanistan is in the phase of ‘rebuilding’ after staying in conflict for the forty-long years, once again Iqbal’s call for Khudi, is resounding in the air, who always wished to see the country stable and peaceful which he once called the heart of Asia.
The continent of Asia is an embodiment of water and clay,
The Afghan nation is the heart in that body,
Peace in Afghanistan shall guarantee peace in Asia,
Chaos in Afghanistan shall disturb all of Asia.
Concept Note
For the Competition [Writing, Sketching, & Art], only the enrolled students in Gharjistion University, Kabul, are eligible. Winners will be awarded with the cash prize.
