A cost effective way of bringing real Pakistan to North America
by Ishrat Ansari

What is the real Pakistan?

A young country with an ancient civilization, Pakistan has a remarkable cultural heritage.

The humane features of our inheritance expressed so vividly in our art, music, literature and architecture provide the very foundation of a tolerant society. The ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity in Pakistan creates a rich cultural mosaic.

Why do people in North America know so little about this real Pakistan?

We have failed to bring out to the American people, in a professional and
consistent manner, the defining elements of our culture: Pakistan's art literature and music.

Why?

In September this year, Chief Executive General Musharraf, during a meeting with Pakistanis in New York, had said that we were brilliant as individuals but our egos prevented us from working together as a team. This is also true in the area of cultural activities.

We must break the mold and learn to let the professionals do the job.

Plan for action.

One of the most cost-effective ways to have a real impact is to present, on
one platform, Pakistani artists of real stature and international standing.

What the artist can do for a few dollars - winning the hearts and minds of
the American people - is immeasurable.

The selection process:

What criteria do we use when inviting an artist?

Our main criterion is whether or not the work is accessible to the Western
sensibility. Fortunately, there are Pakistani writers, painters and musicians, who have
made a name for themselves in the West on their own merit. Now, it is our job
to create a link between them and Pakistan in the minds of the American
people.

To bring artists, who are talented but not as yet established here, we regularly pass on our recommendations to those cultural organizations that value our suggestions, such as Asia Society and World Music Institute. Abida Parveen and Ashraf Sharif Poonchwala are two such examples.

In 1999, we collaborated with World Music Institute to introduce a young sitar player Ashraf Shareef Khan Poonchwala. His stunning performance at Symphony Space, New York, before an audience of over 600, was the first time ever in 50 years that a classical musician from Pakistan performed in New York. His entire tour was financed by Rauf Ansari Foundation - a not for profit organization.

Late in 1999, the name of Rauf Ansari Foundation, a family foundation, was changed to Virsa Pakistan to make it more representative and broad based.

In 2,000 we have, so far, done the following under Virsa Pakistan Inc:

a) A sneak preview of our under production opera "Heer Ranjha". Waris Shah's
Heer was sung in original Punjabi so movingly by an American soprano that it
brought tears in the eyes of those present. The occasion was the farewell
party for Abbas Haider Zaidi at Caffe Vivaldi. The well-known American
composer, Carson Kievman, is writing the music for the opera.

b) Launched Fareed Ayaz Qawwals to rave reviews, including one by Jon Pareles
the Music Critic for the New York Times.

c) Staged two performances, one each in Washington DC and New York, by the
legendary sitar maestro Khan Sahib Ustad Rais Khan.

d) The first New York performance of our famous TV singer Bilqees Khanum of
"Anokha Ladla" fame.

e) Reading by our young novelist Mohsin Hamid at Caffe Vivaldi. Mohsin
Hamid"s first novel, "Moth Smoke" was on the New Times best sellers list.

f) Designed the coffee table art book, "Paintings of Pakistani Masters in
American Homes". The artwork of the book is ready. After the text is
finalized, and the expected funding received, we will go into printing.
Phillip Shung, a very talented young American, is the art director. Sebastain
Piras, a well-known Italian photographer, shot transparencies.

For the 2001-2002 please go to our Calendar of Events