Youth from across the country, including various Sindh districts converged in Hyderabad recently to mark the 10th anniversary of Lahooti Melo, an initiative promoting folk music and cultural diversity.
The two-day conference and musical concert took place at Hyderabad Club, one of the famous resorts of the city.
The enthusiastic crowd witnessed electrifying performances of international pop stars, including Sabrina Terence, a DJ from Germany, Ani Choying Drolma, Nepalese Buddhist nun, Victorian French DJ, as well as melodies of Pakistani singers and musicians.
The passionate participants danced to the performances of Humaira Chana, Umair Jaiswal, Mahi Nimani, Mahi Dai, drummer Nafees Khalafan, Niazi Brothers, and The Sketches band led by Saif Samejo.
Prior to the performances, the speakers at the event highlighted the key social and environmental issues of Sindh, mainly the stronghold of outlaws in the riverine areas of northern Sindh and the adverse impact of climate change on the province, at Lahooti Melo.
Culture Minister Syed Sardar Shah told young participants that they should live their lives fully and courageously. He also shared his poetry throughout his presence on the stage.
Social activist Marvi Mazhar pointed out that Sindh has been facing the issues emanating from floods due to poor strategies and a lack of resources, terming timely steps necessary to avert further losses.
Illustrious Pakistani artist Abuzhar Madhu said, "We should think about the future of our rivers. It is high time to take steps for the restoration of Indus Delta.”
Samejo – the founder of Lahooti – expressed his gratitude to the guest speakers and participants, and drew their attention towards the current challenges being confronted by the province.
He specifically spoke about tribal feuds that recently claimed the life of Dr. Ajamal Sawand, the only individual from Sindh to hold a PhD in Artificial Intelligence.
Samejo observed that the people of Sindh are not aware of the importance of preserving River Indus.
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On the occasion, a musical tribute was also paid to Dr. Sawand for his relentless contribution to the field of education, at Lahooti Melo.
Youth eulogised the initiative to launch Lahooti Melo in order to preserve the local culture, and regarded the founder as an ambassador of the Sindhi culture.
Items symbolising Sindhi culture, mainly embroidery, were put on display that remained an attraction, especially for the foreign visitors.
The initiative was launched by renowned folk singer Saif Samejo and his wife Sana A. Khoja with an aim to promote the lesser known and celebrated singers of the province.
The event concluded on Sunday night.