Mrs Pakistan World 2010 off to London, England to Revive the Arts

Tahmena Bokhari, Mrs Pakistan World, 2010 joins other speakers in London, England on February 16th to encourage Muslims to reclaim their artistic and cultural heritage. Children in certain Muslim homes are increasingly discouraged from participating in drama, art and music. A conference organised by British Muslims for Secular Democracy (bmsd) and supported by the British Council will address this problem and the consequences. “Free Muslims: Autonomy and Creativity” challenges those who seek to close down theMuslim mind by claiming Islam forbids artistic expression, leisure and cultural activities.

This is aligned with Ms. Bokhari’s overall message that we must work to develop positive and healthy communities around the world. Having a personal passion for the arts, as she hobbies as a photographer, fashion designer, painter and writer, she firmly believes that creative outlets are a necessary part of a healthy life. She has also used art in providing forms of therapy as a social worker with her clients and children in countries such as Pakistan and Cambodia. This premise of thisconference is also insync with the motto of the Mrs. Pakistan World organization on building a modern Pakistan. Ms. Bokhari believes that developing these outlets in all countries, but especially in places like Pakistan, can be a method of redirecting youth from violence and involvement with gangs and terrorist groups.

Professor Tahmena Bokhari commented that, “A sign of healthy children and communities around the world is access to positive outlets for emotional and physical energy, such as the creative arts including poetry, literature, painting, dance, music and so on. Creativity is considered to be a divine blessing in Islam. Islam furnishes us with numerous examples ofMuslim creativity, from calligraphy in the Golden Age to Sami Yusuf’s debut album ‘al-Mu’allim’. We must ensure fourteen hundred years of Islamic contributions to art, culture, literature, and history are not pushed aside in favour of a hardline interpretation of theMuslim faith.”

The bmsd Conference is taking place at the SOAS Brunei Gallery in central London on 16th February 2010 from 10am to 2pm.