DNA

ISLAMABAD, MAY 5: A powerful cultural initiative titled “Art for Life – Art for Gaza: The Nakba Continues” opened at the Silk Road Cultural Center, located at the Sir Syed Memorial Complex, Islamabad. The week-long workshop and exhibition, running from April 30 to May 7, 2025, is being organized by His Excellency Jamal Shah, former Federal Minister for Culture and National Heritage, in collaboration with Pakistani and international artists, sculptors, painters, and musicians.

This cultural week serves as a humanitarian and artistic response to the decades-long oppression of the Palestinian people, particularly the intensified genocide and ethnic cleansing since October 7, 2023. It seeks to challenge the false narrative propagated by the Zionist movement — that Palestine was a land without a people — and to reaffirm the enduring presence, identity, and rights of the Palestinian nation.

Speaking at the opening, Jamal Shah emphasized the power of art as a universal language capable of uniting humanity against all forms of injustice, including apartheid, genocide, and violations of international law. He highlighted the workshop’s core message: that the struggle for Palestinian freedom is not just a political cause, but a deeply human one, deserving of global solidarity and artistic expression.

Participants from across the world are contributing their voices through visual arts, sculpture, and music, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and calling for the upholding of international law, the right to self-determination, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Organizers extended heartfelt gratitude to the people, government, political leadership, and armed forces of Pakistan for their unwavering support of the Palestinian cause, echoing the vision and values of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who stood firmly for justice and oppressed peoples.

Special thanks were also extended to Jamal Shah for his continuous efforts in blending culture and activism, and for using art as a medium to raise global awareness about Palestine.

This initiative not only celebrates artistic freedom but also reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people, reinforcing that the Nakba is not just history — it is a continuing reality that must be acknowledged and addressed.