LAHORE: The third Faiz International Festival, which has now become a major feature of Lahore`s cultural calendar, commenced at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall on Friday.

The venue has been tastefully decorated for the three-day event with life-size portraits of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, his magical poetry written on big flexes and illuminations. The event is all about festivity, poetry, art, culture, politics and social issues. Ghazals of Faiz, one of the most important poets of Urdu, were being played at the venue for the attendees on the first day.

On the inaugural day, veteran journalist I.A.

Rehman with Salima Hashmi, Moneeza Hashmi and others inaugurated six exhibitions which are a part of the festival. Another major happenings of the day was a play by Ajoka, `Lo Phir Basant Ayee`, one of the most colourful and popular plays by the theatre group. The play received a tremendous response as the hall was jam-packed and people thoroughly enjoyed it.

The inauguration of the exhibition and opening ceremony had a large number of people.

Addressing the gathering, Salima Hashmi welcomed the people, saying six exhibitions of artworks were being held simultaneously whilethe sessions would be held in the halls for the audience who would get a chance to choose from the schedule the sessions of their interest. There would be cultural performances too, she added.

`The second part of the opening day of the festival was dedicated to Ajoka`s Lo Phir Basant Ayee and the play was staged at the festival to remember Basant festival that we have lost,` Ms Hashmi said.

I.A. Rehman said holding of a festival such as Faiz International Festival was a positive sign in the kind of circumstances Pakistan was going through. He said such festivals spread happiness and positivity.

He regretted that many trees were being cut in the city and this felling of trees should come to an end because these trees were also part of culture and city`s ambiance.

Of the six exhibitions opened at the inaugural day of the festival, first exhibition, titled Khuch Ishq Kiya K huch Kam Kiya, wa s ba se à on life and works of Faiz and the collection belonged to Faiz Ghar archives.

Faiz was known for his Palestinian connections and the Palestinian cause was close to his heart. The second exhibition being held is `Riwaq` by Shatha Safi. It is a unique exhibition of photographs as it has come all the way from Palestine. Safi is a Palestinian architect who is into the restoration of old landmarks inPalestine. The photographs on display show geography and cultural heritage in rural Palestine in a new way.

In another exhibition, titled `Murree Museum Artist`s Residency,` the works on display are from a residency programme by artists, including Asif Khan, Fazal Rizvi, Naazish Ataullah, Natasha Malik, Salima Hashmi, Veera Rustomji, Shahana Malkal and Zahra Rajani.

The exhibition `Jinnah Avenue` by Zahra Malkal and Shahana Rajani is based on a research project that probed the ethics of development. An exhibition of calligraphy by Syed Shahabdullah Alamee, a young artist from Balochistan, features calligraphic compositions based on Faiz` poetry through a special technique, known as Siya Mashq.

The last and sixth exhibition by four artists from Karachi, Adeela Suleman, Mohammad Zeeshan, Naila Mehmood and Seher Naveed, is about complex relationships among poets, writers, artists and their inseparable audience.

The festival during the next two days will have panel discussions, music, theatre, book launches, storytelling and workshops on dance and theatre. There will be theatre performance by Sangat Theatre Group, dramatic readings by Zambeel and children folk music night by Lok Virsa.