COKE STUDIO BRINGS BACK THE MAGIC OF LIVE MUSIC

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Celebrating Pakistan and Music the Coke way, Coca-Cola Pakistan hosted the first ever Coke Studio Live concert in Lahore at the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club featuring a diverse line-up of artists: the dynamic Talal Qureshi, pop sensation Hasan Raheem, the rap duo Young Stunners, popular rap artist Faris Shafi and music icon Atif Aslam.

Coke Studio is known as the Sound of the Nation. The platform has played a key role in taking Pakistani music global. The Foreign Office recognized this role and awarded the platform for being the country’s best cultural export, with over 10.2 million subscribers on YouTube and over 4 billion views on digital platforms.

This year Coke Studio 14 is aiming for a revitalized vibe. 70 per cent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 35, and with Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (popularly known as Xulfi) at the helm there is a lot of anticipation around the new sound, fresh stars and a modern outlook that will reflect the voice of the youth.

Fahad Ashraf, VP Coca-Cola Pakistan and Afghanistan said: “The Coke Studio platform has evolved this season. Whereas the values are the same but we are now leaning into the future by including the GenZ sound very deliberately. It is about time that we sync our cords with what the youngsters what. Nostalgia has its place in Season 14 but so does the firepower of a sound never been heard before.”

Celebrating music in line with Coca-Cola’s new global brand philosophy and platform Real Magic, Coke Studio Live attracted a lively youth-oriented audience from all corners of the city and provided families with an opportunity to plan a perfect evening out, organized in line with the NCOC protocols.

Coke Studio Live is an effort to help revitalize the live music culture of the country. Pakistanis are known for their resilient nature, and our music has always reflected our adversity, hope and our ability to come through. The concert comes at a time when the country despite the challenges it faces have an overall optimistic outlook and is on a journey towards economic recovery, sustainable development and post-pandemic normalization. 

Hosted by media personalities Dino Ali and Anoushey Ashraf, in attendance at this concert were various personalities such as HSY, Shammal Qureshi, Meesha Shafi, Abdullah Siddiqui, Zara Shahjahan, Bilal Lashari, Omair Rana, Amna Babar, Zonia Anwaar, Guddu Shani, Sameer Shami and Farhan Ali to name a few, along with members of the esteemed press.

At this concert, Coke Studio also revealed the artists part of its talented roster for Season 14. With producer Xulfi at the helm, the featured artist lineup for the season includes: Abdullah Siddiqui, Abida Parveen, Ali Sethi, Ameer Baksh, Arooj Aftab, Asfar Hussain, Atif Aslam, Butt Brothers, Eva B, Faisal Kapadia, Faris Shafi, Hasan Raheem, Justin Bibis, Kaifi Khalil, Karakoram, Lahore Jazz Ensemble, Meesha Shafi, Momina Mustehsan, Naseebo Lal, Quratulain Baloch, Shaegill, Soch, Talal Qureshi, Talha Anjum, Wahab Bugti, Young Stunners and Zain Zohaib Qawwals.

This season truly epitomizes the passion of Pakistanis, unifying the diverse sounds of the country through a fusion of diverse genres while the videos takes viewers on a journey like never before.Coke Studio also announces two major partnerships for Season 14: The world’s leading music streaming platform Spotify, and Pakistan’s leading high-street brand Khaadi.

Coke Studio’s launch date and more partnerships will be announced later this December 2021.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/cokestudio/

 

Thaap honored Punjabi writer Nain Sukh for receiving Dhahan International Literature Prize.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Thaap organized a special literary evening in honor of Punjabi writer “Nain Sukh” for winning the Dhahan international punjabi literature prize 2021 on the occasion of its 46th Talk. The talk was held at Thaap secreteriat Gulberg on December 17 and was attended by literature lovers and an interested & discriminating audience.
Nain Sukh is the recipient of the Dhahan International Punjabi Literature Prize 2021 and the Masud Khadarposh Award 2015. In local litereay circles, he is considered Pride of Punjab for being the first rceipient of Dhahan International Punjabi Literature Prize from Pakistani Punjab. Pr. Retd. Sajida Haider Vandal, Pervez Vandal and other partcipants acknowleged the contributions of Nain Sukh in promotion of Punjabi literature. 
In the evening, Nain Sukh read his short stories from his award winning book and lively discussion took place with penetrating remarks and questions.  
Nain Sukh has published several Punjabi short stories, poetry, Novel and novelette over the years. Through his work, he has attempted to transform his 28 years of research and observations of Punjab, combining them with historical insights gained from the works of old masters, into works of fiction and poetry. 
Professor Naveed Alam made the introductions and acted as the moderator. He briefed the audience that Nain Sukh’s book, Jogi, Sapp, Trah (The Snake Charmer, Snake and Fright), won the Dhahan Prize for Punjabi literature announced in Canada. The Canada-based prize committee had received 45 entries this year.
While putting light on the short stories, Pr. Naveed Alam shared that Nain Sukh’s award-winning book has many characters from the lower stratum of society, considered outcasts — Dalits who converted to Islam, but could not shake off the stigma attached to their former caste besides weavers, shoemakers, fishers, hairdressers, snake charmers, gypsies and all the subalterns.
During the evening, writer Nain Sukh discussed the reasons that when those belonging to these so-called lower castes realised the dishonour attached to their work and craft, they gradually started quitting it. This culminated into the erasure of history that was preserved in their collective memory, as nobody had recorded it.
 

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy collaborates with Welsh National Opera at Expo 2020 Dubai

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Two-time Academy Award-winning film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has announced her collaboration with Welsh National Opera (WNO) for Expo 2020 Dubai’s Al-Wasl Opera, a cultural milestone that celebrates thousands of years of UAE history, its achievements to date and its aspirations for the future. The show will be performed at Dubai Opera for its premiere run from till 19th December 2021.

The series of 7 films will play in the background at various key points, in harmony with the live music, during the performance of Al-Wasl. The films have been produced by SOC Films and directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, in close collaboration with celebrated American composer Mohammed Fairouz and renowned British Director Sir David Willoughby Pountney. An Opera in Three Acts, the performance will feature more than 100 artists and musicians, as well as a production team of 70 professionals, to combine the best global operatic talent, celebrating Expo 2020’s theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

Produced in collaboration with Welsh National Opera, composed by Mohammed Fairouz, co-authored and written by Maha Gargash, directed by Sir David Willoughby Pountney and conducted by Justin Brown, Al Wasl translates as ‘the connection’ in English, and is the old name for Dubai. The connection here implies international cooperation, with Al Wasl Opera showing how we must work together to channel Sustainability, one of Expo’s three subthemes.

Mohammed Fairouz, Composer, Al Wasl Opera, said: “Celebrating Expo 2020’s vision of collaboration, Al Wasl Opera brings together many people from a variety of artistic backgrounds in order to create one art form – and there’s nothing more universal than opera and theatre. If people can laugh and cry together, then anything is possible between them.”

Sir David Willoughby Pountney, Director, Al Wasl Opera, said: “The story of Al Wasl begins in the desert, and we created a rather original way of depicting this desert in a metaphorical way. In the middle act, we are in the present, where there is a strong reference to the creation of the Burj Khalifa, and we move on into the future in the final act, where we are in pure fantasyland about what the future may or may not look like, depending on whether we make a commitment to a sustainable tomorrow.”

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Film Director, Al Wasl Opera, said: “We worked closely with Sir David Pountney and Mohammad Fairouz to create films that spoke to the music and choreography of the opera. In telling the story of the UAE and its growth, we also told the story of the men who built it, including the story of a Pakistani worker Adnan and his daughter Eshal. As filmmakers we visualize stories and to be able to do that on an opera stage with the best in the world has truly been an honor.”

Al Wasl Opera will be presented in English, with a runtime of 120 minutes, including one intermission.

Link for more information: https://www.dubaiopera.com/events/al-wasl-opera/

 

Gamers Galaxy announces prize pool for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant, Registrations Open for esports Festival

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Gamers Galaxy announces prize pool for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant, Registrations Open for esports Festival.

 

  • 14,000,000 Crore Pakistani Rupees will be allocated to the PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and Valorant tournament from the Grand prize pool of 20,000,000 Crore
  • The online qualifiers will be streamed from the 25th to 28th on twitch.tv/galaxyracerdxb
  • Gamers Galaxy will host the top 16 teams from PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan and the top 4 teams from Valorant at the LAN event in Islamabad.
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Gamers Galaxy has announced the prize pools for PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan, the original battle royale mobile game, and Valorant, a free-to-play first-person hero shooter game for PC. The two tournaments, running from 18th December, will be a part of the largest eSports event to take place in the history of Pakistan on 8th and 9th of January at Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad.

    The Valorant and PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan’s online qualifiers will also be streamed live on www.twitch.tv/galaxyracerdxb from the 25th to 28th of December.

    The first week of registrations has seen a huge success with over 700+ PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy Pakistan teams and 30+ Valorant teams.

    The two remaining game titles that will have dedicated tournaments, Tekken 7 and Fifa 22, will be live for registrations soon.

    Earlier this month, it was announced that a musical component will perform as a closing act for Gamers Galaxy. The gaming festival will also feature meet and greets and panels with the country’s most popular content creators, action-packed live entertainment, alongside global toy giants who will hold fun-filled activations and unveil their brand-new line of toys.

    The two-day festival will be free of entry to the public as Galaxy Racer aims to build an ecosystem and pave the way for change in Pakistan. Register now at: https://gamersgalaxy.com.pk.

    Fakhar-e-Alam, CEO of Galaxy Racer Pakistan, said: “Our whole vision with Gamers Galaxy is to ensure that the community in Pakistan gets presented a platform to compete and encourage individuals and teams with amazing talent to aim for the sky and nothing less. Hence why we have made it a free of entry and registration event, our sole purpose is to nurture the talent in Pakistan and create an entire ecosystem and our initiative of HER Galaxy is to give opportunity encourage and nurture Pakistani girls to explore possibilities in the esports universe and compete with the best around the world.”

    The event will also be televised in partnership with Ten Sports for the first time in the country’s history.

    Follow us on Instagram and Twitter to know more.

           

    About Galaxy Racer:

    Galaxy Racer (GXR) was founded in 2019 and is one of the fastest-growing global esports, gaming and lifestyle organizations in the world, with an impressive roster of twelve esports teams under Nigma Galaxy, the competitive esports team division of Galaxy Racer; in esports titles such as Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, Fortnite, Valorant, PUBG Mobile, BGMI and Free Fire.

    GXR values diversity and equal representation in esports, with over 60 male and female esports athletes from over 20 countries, with over 100 content creators across Middle East North Africa (MENA) and Southeast Asia (SEA), amassing over 370 million followers and generating over 2 billion monthly views.

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THE COCA-COLA FOUNDATION PROVIDES FUNDING FOR UNHCR’S HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST DISPLACED AFGHANS

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, is supporting UNHCR efforts in delivering humanitarian aid for displaced people impacted by the recent conflict in Afghanistan.

A USD 300,000 grant to USA for UNHCR has helped support efforts by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to assist over 500 families (with an average of 7 members per family) with immediate humanitarian relief, including core relief kits and shelter items to protect Afghan families during the harsh winter season.

“This is a multi-faceted crisis disproportionately affecting women and girls,” said Saadia Madsbjerg, president, The Coca-Cola Foundation. “We hope this grant will be meaningful in providing displaced Afghan families with critical support.” 

UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan, Noriko Yoshida, welcomed the timely support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. “Having assistance reach displaced people in Afghanistan is saving lives. Many are without shelter, struggling to feed families, unable to cope, and need support urgently”, she added.

Afghanistan is facing a growing economic, humanitarian and food-security crisis endangering millions of Afghans. Almost 80 percent of the Afghans newly displaced by conflict this year have been women and children.

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Bike Rides Made Safe with Customers’ Life Insurance

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Partnering with State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, Bykea insures its customers against hospitalization, disability, and demise.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Considering the high rate of motorbike accidents and the road safety situation in the country, the widely popular ride-hailing service, Bykea, is now offering insurance coverage to all its customers if they meet any unfortunate road accident while using its service. According to research, bikes are five times more likely to meet accidents than a normal four-wheel vehicle, making the rider and the passenger vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

The insurance offered by Bykea in partnership with the State Life of Pakistan covers hospital charges, injury-treatment charges, and compensates the bereaved families in case of human lives lost. The Bykea users now have the option to pay a nominal amount on each bike taxi trip to get themselves an insurance cover of PKR 25,000 for hospitalization and injuries. In case, the accident results in a tragic death or causes permanent disability to the user, his/her next of kin will be eligible to receive PKR 400,000 in lieu of the life insurance cover.

Rafiq Malik, Chief Operating Officer, Bykea, said, “We are constantly trying to provide access to services leveraging technology for the middle class in Pakistan. We feel our partnership with State Life of Pakistan is a first in offering coverage to the most vulnerable on the roads in Pakistan and we hope that in the odd instances of road accidents, our customers are covered when traveling using our platform.”

Shoaib Javed Hussain, Chairperson, State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan at the occasion said, “This is truly a first in Pakistan of digital and protection innovation, providing social protection to working Pakistanis at a nominal price. State Life’s endeavor and vision is to transform health, life, and financial protection in Pakistan; to enable Pakistanis to achieve life goals with the confidence that State Life protects them and their families. This is the first and important step in achieving that vision through true product and tech innovation.”

“As someone who is the sole breadwinner of his family and barely manages to make ends meet, I am thankful to Bykea for introducing the customers’ protection. God forbid, if something happens to me, at least I know my family will be taken care of,” says 37-year-old Shabbir Ahmed, a resident of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

While Bykea, along with the city administration, has been encouraging the use of a helmet for motorbike drivers and pillion riders, very few citizens have any kind of insurance cover in the event of a mishap on the road. With this optional feature on the trip, the customers can rest easy as they get the insurance cover for all sorts of injuries sustained; do not have to pay for hospitalization; and do not have to worry about their family’s well-being in case of permanent disability or demise. The insurance cover feature is available on both Android and iOS, and users can choose to opt-in for it on bike taxi (Savari) rides with a single click while booking the rides.

foodpanda celebrates its riders by unveiling the vibrant new ‘Rider Kit’

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Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) foodpanda, Pakistan’s leading food delivery platform and e-commerce company, exhibited its latestRider Kit at an exciting launch event held in Karachi. The event is a testament to foodpanda’s commitment to support the company’s biggest strength, i.e. its riders. The key features of the kit, among other things,include a newly designed jacket to protect riders from the cold weather during winters and helmet to provide additional safety during travelling. The event was attended by foodpanda’s management, top riders, restaurants vendors and homechefs.

Speaking at the event CEO foodpanda, Nauman Sikander Mirza, stated, “We are very excited to launch our new rider kit and showcase our appreciation to the delivery heroes who make it possible for us to provide excellent service to our customers. These delivery riders are critical to our business and providing them a safe and effective environment is a top priority for foodpanda. We will continue to focus on improving working conditions for our riders and offer access to flexible economic opportunities across the country.

foodpanda is working tirelessly to ensure that support is available for the riders across Pakistan, as a commitment to their strategic roadmap to create economic opportunities and a favourable working environment. foodpanda cares deeply for people and for the communities in which it operates, and believes they have an essential role to play especially after the onset of COVID-19 crisis. So far foodpanda has created economic opportunities for thousands of people nationwide including 50,000+ riders and 5,000+home chefs.

 

AlfaMallGrand Sale 12.12

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) AlfaMall, Bank Alfalah’s revolutionary e-commerce marketplace hosted another Grand Sale 12.12. With more than 65,000 products including electronics, motorcycles, smartphones and more, the sale was another major initiative by the leading platform in the country. Customers and debit card holders of any bank could shop and avail lucrative discounts.

After the resounding success of the massive 11.11 sales, AlfaMall gave customers another opportunity to shop to their heart’s content. Offering a significant portfolio of products divided across diverse categories, this year-end sale provided customers an ideal as well as convenient solution for their shopping needs. On top of the substantial discounts, the platform also offered installment plans with 0% mark-up for as much as 9 months. This was a unique chance for everyone to snag their favourite products while shopping from the comfort of their homes.

Commenting at the launch of the Grand Sale 12.12, Salman Ahmed Khan – Business Head AlfaMallstated:“Digitization and e-commerce have become the future of businesses and society in general. At Alfa, we are attuned with the times and are continuously making efforts to simplify experiences for our customers in this modern age. With our 12.12 sale, we provided people with unbeatable prices across the country along with a variety of other features.” 

UNICEF and Telenor Pakistan hand over Digital Birth Registration system

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UNICEF and Telenor Pakistan hand over Digital Birth Registration system to Sindh government to scale across the province

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Leveraging innovation in technology, Telenor Pakistan and UNICEF have handed over the Digital Birth Registration (DBR) system to the Sindh Government. After its successful launch and implementation in 3 pilot districts, the local government in Sindh is now all set to take over the Digital Birth Registration project and scale it across the province. The project transfer took place at an event in Karachi, attended by officials from Telenor Pakistan and UNICEF along with Sindh Government officials.

Designed with the goal of birth registration for kids under the age of 17, with special focus on children under 5 years of age, the Digital Birth Registration system since its inception in 2016 has already helped recognize the identities of approximately 1.8 million children across Pakistan. The DBR project ensures that every child gets their basic right of identity which would lead to give them better access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights. Together, UNICEF and Telenor Pakistan have facilitated the creation of easy to access, convenient and real time mechanisms bringing birth registration to the doorstep in far flung, hard to reach area; thus, reducing the high opportunity cost and time incurred by the parents. This successful public-private partnership model has shaped regional collaboration in technology and best-practice sharing for the achievement of universal birth registration for children across South Asia. 

Commenting on the development, Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan said, “Birth registration is the fundamental right of every child and is a legal proof of their existence. Every life registered through the DBR platform takes the nation another step closer to the fulfillment of the country’s development goals, and even more importantly, plays a vital role in mitigating the effects of inequalities and socio-economic disparities.Today, we are advancing towards the realization of an inclusive digital society faster than ever.” While speaking on the opportunity to scale the DBR system, he further added, “Together with UNICEF, we are proud to have paved the way for our provincial government to do crucial work in uplifting and empowering communities across Pakistan.”

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is rooted in universal rights and inclusive development and is driven by the key principle of “leaving no one behind….” This is also embodied in target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals which says: “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration”. A birth registration certificate, as a legal document with proof of age, helps to prevent violations of the rights of the child, including such phenomena as child labour, the recruitment and use of child soldier, early marriage, trafficking, and statelessness. Birth registration is important for girl child for protection from the early marriage and the enforcement of laws that set a minimum age for marriage.” Commented Clara Dube, Chief Field Office Sindh.

Present at the ceremony, Zainab Hussain Siddiqui, VP Sustainabilityand Partnerships at Telenor Group said, “Digital Birth Registration started out as an idea of how we could use technology to give children their fundamental right to an identity. Today the project is set to take on a larger scale, helping more children access their right to a future. This progress has been possible thanks to strong collaboration with our global partner UNICEF and the support and engagement of relevant government agencies. It is a great example of the positive impact we can create together by using technology for social good.”

The upscaling of the DBR project shall ultimately contribute to universal birth registration for children in Pakistan; an obligation that Pakistan upholds under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the government’s commitment under the Asia Pacific Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Regional Action Framework. The Digital Birth Registration project will also help Pakistan in fulfilling its commitment of fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals (16.9), particularly those relating to children.

ilmX launches in Pakistan with online Workplace Harassment Training

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Given the social climate in Pakistan, understanding and addressing the concept of harassment, in all of its forms, is becoming increasingly important, especially in the workplace. Unfortunately, even the sharpest of HR professionals, detailed policies and complaints mechanisms, either miss the many signs and types of workplace harassment or victims choose not to report it, due to the social stigma associated with it. Building a shared understanding, as well as defining what it means to act professionally in the workplace, is deemed necessary to build a safe space at work. Taking proactive steps against workplace harassment with employee training has many benefits for management and employees; not only does it promote a more positive work environment, but it can also prevent situations that put your business in legal jeopardy.

#PakistanAgainstWorkplaceHarassment is a CSR initiative by ilmX to provide workplace training to help organizations in the prevention of harassment in their organizational culture. ilmX, soon to be Pakistan’s largest digital learning platform, is introducing cutting-edge online courses and training programs that offer distance-learning and skill development opportunities to support organizations across the country.

Yasser Bashir, one of ilmX’s co-founders says, “At ilmX, we are deeply committed to supporting the creation of a safe space at work, by spreading awareness, sharing knowledge and creating a sense of accountability amongst personnel in preventing workplace harassment. Therefore, we have made the decision to make this training free of cost, forever, as part of our #PakistanAgainstWorkplaceHarassment initiative. We invite you to be part of our mission to end workplace misconduct and unethical behavior to make the cultural paradigm shift through education.”

The Preventing Workplace Harassment training, part of ilmX’s Workplace Essentials online training program, is now available completely for free for organizations of all sizes. This training is designed to ensure that management and employees are relating to and learning from real-life situations, challenges, and evolving behavioral expectations in the Pakistani work culture. In addition, they will learn about the different forms it takes, gain an idea of its prevalence in Pakistan, and, in the deeply upsetting event that one witnesses or experiences any, what kind of support is available. More interestingly, the learning is tailored specifically to Pakistani workplaces and outlined by leading subject matter experts and designed in line with the current federal and provincial laws, including the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010.

The vision of Workplace Essentials, the key product under ilmX for Business and is powered by Edly, a global leader in digital learning, is to transform organizations into spaces that nurture a safe, productive, and healthy workplace for all. Their mission to reinvent how organizations train employees in becoming more mindful and well-rounded professionals, one skill at a time. While leveraging world-class content that has been designed according to the local context and is available in both Urdu and English, their aim is to make it easier for employees to grasp and understand the learning. The sign-up process is so simple and easy that organizations can be up and running in a week’s time!

To learn more about how your organization can benefit from this free training, please visit their website www.ilmx.org/pawh for more information and to join them in their mission.