SARGODHA: More than six national and international events were held on the fourth day of the ‘Research Arena 2024’ at the University of Sargodha (UoS) on Monday.

The 2nd International Conference on Modern Trends in Linguistics and Literature, a joint effort of the Department of English of the University of Lahore (UoL), Sargodha campus and Englishers LLL International, kicked off at the NBS Hall.

The opening ceremony of the two-day conference was presided over by Allama Iqbal Open University former VC Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui along with UoS VC Prof Dr Qaisar Abbas.

In his remarks, Mr Siddiqui emphasised the pivotal role of academia and research in navigating the complexities of the 21st century.

“Described as the hub of knowledge and innovation, this century demands a paradigm shift to meet the evolving needs of our rapidly changing world,” he said.

Mr Abbas briefed the audience about the academic and developmental progress of the UoS. He reiterated the university’s commitment to provide a premier research platform through the Research Arena 2024 and expressed pride in the university’s role as a pioneer in promoting collaborative research and scholarly endeavors.

The Department of Arabic Language and Literature hosted the first Ist International Conference on Teaching Methods of the Arabic Language. The conference aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the Arabic language pedagogy, particularly in the context of Pakistani and Arab universities. More than 80 researchers from across the world presented their research papers in the conference.

The Department of Psychology organised the 2nd National Conference on Sustainable Community: Challenges and Trends which had 69 research papers and 13 poster presentations.

Filmmaker and producer Syed Noor attended an artist talk arranged by the Institute and Design on the theme of ‘Synchronicity of Souls: Harmony of Cultures through Artistic Expressions’.

Mr Noor emphasised the transformative power of art, highlighting its ability to transcend linguistic, cultural and geographical barriers. He encouraged the attendees to continue supporting initiatives that promote cultural harmony and understanding the role of individuals in fostering a more inclusive society.

Moreover, an in-house outreach programme titled, ‘Precision Agriculture: A Way Forward for Future Food Security’ was organised by the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Studies to create awareness on the importance of precision in agriculture as future of the agricultural sector to increase per acre yield and to disseminate the advance technologies among the farming communities for sustainable agricultural development.

The fourth day activities concluded with the expert talks on ‘social inclusion of marginalised communities for sustainable development’ conducted by the Department of Social work.

COMPETITIONS: The first Punjab Painting and Theatre Competition 2024 organised by the Punjab Council of the Arts is ongoing across the province and various competitions in this regard were organised under the auspices of the Sargodha Arts Council, Sargodha Division, including Bhakkar, Mianwali, Khushab and Sargodha districts.

The painting and theatre competition for the division were held on the same day at the Sargodha Arts Council art gallery and auditorium. Forty-eight candidates participated in the competitions from the Sargodha district in which four special children from the Special Education Department specially participated. The first, second and third positions were won by Imam Amin, Tasakin Zahra and Tasmia Arif, respectively.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Arshad Vito distributed certificates and prizes to the winning candidates. Director Arts Council Asad Ahmed was also present.

Assistant Director Design Saba Islam, well-known painters and calligraphers, Imran Pasha and Bashir Haider, performed the duties of judges in the painting competition.

Five drama teams participated in the theatre competitions at the divisional level.

The painting competitions at the district level will be held on March 6 at the Sargodha Arts Council. Winners at the district level will participate in the provincial level contests in Lahore on March 8. The provincial level theater competition will be held on March 9.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2024