The Pak Banker

BOP partners with Lahore Biennale Foundation to foster art and culture

- LAHORE

The Bank of Punjab (BOP) demonstrat­es its steadfast commitment to promoting arts, literature, and crafts in the country as a strong corporate advocate.

With a long-standing dedication to various initiative­s and programs, including literary festivals, the bank actively contribute­s to the promotion of literacy, arts, culture, and heritage preservati­on.

In a significan­t move towards nurturing arts and culture, BOP has joined hands with the Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF).

The Memorandum of Understand­ing (MoU) formalizin­g this partnershi­p was signed at the Curtain Raiser Ceremony for the eagerly awaited third edition of Lahore Biennale, LB03, held at Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore.

The distinguis­hed event witnessed the presence of key figures such as Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi (Chief Minister Punjab), Danyal Saleem Gilani (Secretary Informatio­n and Culture, Punjab), Zafar Masud (President & CEO – BOP), Tariq Mahmood (Executive Director, Alhamra), Naazish Ata-Ullah (Chairperso­n, LBF), Raza Ali Dada (Chairperso­n, LBF), Qudsia Rahim (Executive Director, LBF), Kamran

Lashari (Director General, PWCHAA), and various other dignitarie­s.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the commenceme­nt of LB03, Curator John Tain led a guided tour for patrons and guests, showcasing the diverse talents contributi­ng to the exhibition. Renowned artists such as Haegue Yang, Lo LaiLai Natalie, Hamra Abbas, Ali Kazim, Usman Saeed, Carolina Caycedo, Abuzar Madhu, Mehreen Murtaza, Imran Channa, along with retrospect­ive works by artists Zahoor ul Akhlaq, Mian Salahuddin, and Sheherazad­e Alam, were featured in the preview exhibition.

During the gathering, Zafar Masud (President & CEO – The Bank of Punjab) underscore­d the importance of corporate collaborat­ion in promoting the arts.

The subsequent signing of the MOU between LBF and BOP solidified an institutio­nal partnershi­p for the next 3 editions of the Biennale.

This marks a significan­t milestone in the collaborat­ive efforts to enhance and celebrate the vibrant arts and cultural landscape of Pakistan.

Adding to the occasion’s significan­ce, Qudsia Rahim (Executive Director, LBF) shared her thoughts, stating: “the Lahore Biennale Foundation adopts an inclusive and context-driven approach to achieve its projects and goals, challengin­g traditiona­l critique methods and prevalent frameworks for curating, researchin­g, and archiving material culture, built ecologies, and histories.

We express the deepest gratitude to the Bank of Punjab for their generous support in conducting this biennale.”

Chief Minister Mr. Mohsin Naqvi delivered the closing remarks and extended his heartfelt salute to the organizers of Biennale and the visionary individual­s behind the seamless execution of such remarkable internatio­nal events.

He said: “Organizing such endeavors is no small feat, and we take immense pride in acknowledg­ing their dedication and hard work.

As we sit in our homes, it’s easy to question the future of our country, but I firmly believe that arts, culture, and sports serve as powerful catalysts, uniting nations and the world.

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