Aligarh Muslim University organized a poetry performance session

Aligarh: The Centre of Continuing and Adult Education and Extension (CCAEE), Aligarh Muslim University, in collaboration with 100 Thousand Poets for Change organized a poetry performance session on the theme “Read a Poem to a Child” in the Conference Hall, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Addressing the participants, chief guest, Professor Anwar Jahan Zubeiri, former Vice Chancellor, Calicut University, Kerala said that childhood is an impressionable stage of life and what a mother narrates and sings to a child has an everlasting impact. She reminisced that her mother recited Iqbal’s Shikwa amd Jawab-e-Shikwa to put her to sleep.

The guest of honour, Professor Asfar Ali Khan, Director, Directorate of School Education, AMU said though he was not from Humanities background, he could feel the need for adults to understand the feelings of children.

Another guest of honour, Professor Siraj Ajmali, Coordinator, CEC underlined the importance of mother’s role in the life of a man. He said Urdu poetry was replete with the theme reflecting mother’s centrality in a person’s life.

Professor Mohammad Gulrez, Director, CCAEE and Dean, Faculty of International Studies said that poetry is the link between the mankind and the civilization.

Earlier, Professor Aysha Munira Rasheed, Deputy Director, CCAEE welcomed the guests while Ms Lubna Irfan, Women’s College and local incharg, 100 Thousand Poets, introduced the organization which was founded in 2011 in the University of Harvard.

Ms Alisha Ibkar, local incharg, 100 Thousand Poets underlined the objectives of the event, saying it would provide the children with an opportunity to learn and grow with a sound cultural background.

A number of students from AMU schools and higher classes, including guest performers Hayaat Fatemah, Mehwish Asim, Oroosa and Mohd Anas, presented their performances while Professor Kamalanand Jha (Department of Hindi), Dr Humaira Afridi (Urdu Section, Women’s College) and Dr Sunij Kumar (Department of English) judged the event.

Mr Mohammad Aiyub, Saiyid Hamid Senior Secondary School conducted the poetry segment while Dr Shamim Akhtar (CCAEE) conducted the main programme.