 As we crossed the Pakistan /India border, we sensed a rush of adrenaline running through us. The hard work that we had put in all these months was soon to be tested. The experience was enthralling. But before I go into the details, let me share with you the source of all this excitement.
The South Asia Foundation Festival for Peace-2009 was held in Amritsar, India in October. The festival was organised by the South Asian Federation (SAF) which is a secular, non-profit organisation, comprising eight autonomous chapters in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The prime objective of the Foundation is to uphold its core values of regional cooperation and peace through cultural interaction, education and sustainable development. SAF has been recognised as an apex body of SAARC and enjoys official relationship with UNESCO.
The 15-day long festival attracted many Pakistani artists and theatrical groups. A team of graduates from the National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi (of which I was a member) also attended the event and received great appreciation for their performance. It was an experimental play titled “Jaaney Pehchaney Ajnabi”, under the direction of Zain Ahmed.
The play met encouraging response before a crowd that appreciated the experimental theatrical presentation by a Pakistani troupe. There were numerous reasons why we succeeded in winning Indian hearts. One was that we performed without inanimate props as our actors converted themselves into chairs and other required props. The theme of the play, based on the dynamics of urban life, relationships and human interaction, also met with encouragement. N.K Raina, a well-known theatre artist from India, was so pleased with the performance that he wanted to enter into a cross-border collaboration of theatre artists. NAPA and Ajoka were the only two Pakistan-based theatre groups that were invited to perform at the festival.
There were other exciting programmes staged at the event which received considerable appreciation and made our visit to India really worthwhile. These included Rafi Peer Theatre’s ‘Akhia Waleo’; musical night performances by Sain Zahoor, the BBC World Music Award winner, Mitthu Sain, leading dhol player of Pakistan, Arif Lohar, renowned folk artist, beautiful dance performances by Sheema Kermani, the only dancer in Pakistan who is a qualified Bharatnatyam performer and the only Odissi dancer; performances by Sania Saeed, a well-known theatre actress, presentation of Faiz’s poetry by Tina Sani, etc.
Performances by Indian artists and groups were equally enthralling, as every presentation was immersed in artistic verve and vitality. The 15- day event, which comprised a film festival, music nights, theatre performances, seminars and panel discussions, provided a good opportunity to strengthen cultural ties in the South Asian region.
The event offered NAPA students their first international exposure. It was facilitated by many supporters, sponsors and well-wishers from both sides of the border. This showed the commitment of the art communities of both the countries towards long-lasting peace and bringing beauty and joy through creative participation to the people.
Peace for us is the smile on the faces of our children; it is the canvas of our artists, the beat of our drums, and the words of our poets! We, as ambassadors of peace look forward to more such regional events where art can flourish and make its way to our hearts – hearts that have long suffered from conflicts and denial. 
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