BY : Manzoor Alam Balakoti
Karachi Pakistan : The 39-day World Culture Festival 2025 continued with impactful performances on its 16th day. Kuwait’s LAPA Dance Company presented a powerful contemporary dance piece titled “Where Words Die”, dedicated to the memory of Palestinian journalists martyred in Gaza. The performance was choreographed by Dr Tina, with dancers Rawan Sameer Salamah (Palestine), Christine Nikitha, Chathura Navodya (Sri Lanka), Bader Mustafa Dalal Abdullah (Kuwait), and Fatemeh Neghdar (Iran). Through expressive movement, the performers highlighted the grave crime of targeting journalists in Gaza, where more than 200 media workers were killed for exposing the truth.
The performance touched themes of struggle, injustice, and the horrors of war, earning a standing ovation from the audience. Addressing the audience, Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah praised the performance, saying LAPA had presented a remarkable narrative. He acknowledged Fareah Al Saqqaf and her team for uniting artists from diverse nations and promoting the arts globally. He added, “The children of our community are the identity of Lyari. The ideal society we envision is reflected here through the World Culture Festival.” LAPA Dance Company’s head, Fareah Al Saqqaf, expressed gratitude for the love received in Pakistan and said she was honored to present the story of Palestinian journalists through art. Earlier in the day,
the festival opened with a Fine Art Workshop conducted by Iranian artist M. Reza Ferdowsi Fard, who delivered a special lecture on the fundamentals of Islamic calligraphy. He emphasized that “the purity of script comes from the purity of the heart,” explaining that the art of calligraphy begins with the dot beneath the letter “?”, the symbolic essence of “Bismillah.”He noted that the first letter in calligraphy is always “?,” corresponding to the first letter in the name of Allah. The festival also screened the Pakistani film “Na Maloom Afraad”, directed by Nabeel Qureshi and written by Fizza Ali Meerza. Set in Karachi, the dark comedy reflects the city’s chaos, economic pressures, and social disparities. It follows three ordinary men whose desperate struggles lead to unintentional and humorous misadventures. Karachi’s strikes, unrest, and unpredictability become the film’s symbolic “fourth character.” During the session, both Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Meerza interacted with the audience. Qureshi said he was honored to have his film showcased at such a major festival and confirmed that “Na Maloom Afraad 3” is also in the works. Fizza Meerza shared her appreciation for the Arts Council and proposed converting Auditorium II into a dedicated cinema space due to the closure of major cinemas in Karachi.
Theatre Play: “Back to School “From the UAE, director Ahmed Yousif Yacoub presented the improvisational theatre production “Back to School.” Performers Polina (Australia), Reem (Lebanon), Wahbi Mohammad (Lebanon), and Magdalena (Poland) delivered an energetic, unscripted performance that transported the audience back to school life. With spontaneous storytelling, audience involvement, and playful competition, the show became one of the most engaging experiences of the festival. The 16th day concluded with the grand “Mega Musical Concert 2.0.” Performers included Liboi (Kenya), Diana (Argentina), Arash Asadi, Majid Rezadoost (Iran), Mustafa Baloch, Jambroz (Pakistan), and the Fusion Band featuring Imran Momina, Shams ul-Arfeen, Shahid Rehman, Wajeeh ud din Mir, Sami, and Masood. Local and international musicians kept the audience enthralled throughout the evening. Iranian cultural music received special applause, while cross-cultural collaborations added a vibrant energy to the night.
