| Poetry and Prayers for Peace | |
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By ATLE HETLAND |
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| “We have so many activities that appeal to the mind only, or perhaps not even that as some meetings are basically bureaucratic. We need meetings that also appeal to the heart, too. And sometimes, we just need to be together in pleasant surroundings over a cup of tea and a meal”, the Australian-Pakistani Poet and Teacher Jocelyn Ortt Saeed said at a Poetry and Literature Breakfast at an Islamabad hotel on Sunday. The gathering was organized by the Pakistani-Norwegian Association (PANA) in cooperation with Katherine Abbasi, a prominent residence of Bahawalpur and Islamabad. The Norwegian Social Scientist Atle Hetland was Master of Ceremoney, citing several poems by his country’s great poets, while music by most famous Norwegian Composer Edvard Grieg filled the room at intervals. That was a great surprise to the three Norwegians who came straight from the airport to the poetry event. | |
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| “There is a clear need for gatherings of this kind in Islamabad”, Katherine Abbasi said, as she was supported by Idrees Ashraf, a Lawyer from Gujranwala, who also recited the great Pakistani Poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Gulzar Wazir from Peshawar recited Pashtu poets and Maryam Bibi of Kwendo Kor, Peshawar, discussed issues in our time, reminding us of the sadness when fundamentalists take extreme actions, such as the terrible explosions in Peshawar last week. The gathering agreed with her that poetry and art can help us in creating positive messages. “Poetry is often like prayers”, Jocelyn Ortt Syed said. “Without prayers, knowing that we all need God’s help and the help of other human beings, we are all often at a loss”, Atle Hetland said. “We must have a positive and tolerant understanding of religion, not fundamentalist and extreme views. The Golden Rule is always to do to others what we want others to do towards us. If we truly believe in God, then we live by the Golden Rule.” | |
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| Katherine Abbasi and Atle Hetland have initiated the new “Poetry and Literature Forum” under the auspices of the Pakistan-Norway Association (PANA), Islamabad | |
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Atle Hetland is a senior Norwegian social scientist currently based in Islamabad. atlehetland@yahoo.com |
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