ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels announced the winner of the bilingual Faisalabad Creative Writing Competition out of more than 70 submissions in both English and Urdu. The theme of the competition was Faisalabad in 2028 which encouraged the youth from across the country to envision the future.
Eminent jury panel comprising Hafiz Tahir Khalil – Bureau Chief Daily Jang Islamabad and Sanam Zeb – Sub Editor Dawn Media Group selected the best essays on the basis of the quality of their arguments and the skill of narration during a panel session held at the Islamabad Serena Hotel. Ms. Nayyab Nasir from Lahore was declared the winner for her insightful piece.
Mr. Tahir Khalil said, “This initiative is commendable and there is a need to widen its scope. The outreach this time was mainly on social media but engaging mass media will increase the participation and give the young talent a chance to come forward. This promotion of literary activity under cultural diplomacy is a great service to Pakistan which will positively impact society”.
Ms. Sanam Zeb said, “It was very encouraging to see so many contributions and it was especially encouraging to see the hope young people have for the city of Faisalabad and how they have been comparing it to great industrial cities around the world. I loved some of the creative submissions and the playfulness of those submissions – it was hard deciding between some of them”.
Congratulating the winner, she added, “Nayyab Nasir did a wonderful job and it felt like I was sitting in a New York or Tokyo style skyscraper and it was mesmerizing”.
Faisalabad Serena Hotel hosted the competition as the first initiative of many to encourage the youth to envision a future that is both bright and sustainable. The essays and interest in the competition was highly encouraging, reflecting the energy, creativity and talent of youth across Pakistan.
