KARACHI: A breezy Karachi night became even better when lots of inspiration gathered at the majestic Frere Hall to celebrate a festival which recognized heroes who had quietly been trying to make things better for those who suffered.
The ‘I am Karachi’ awards on Saturday recognized visionary individuals who had shown inspirational resilience, hope, pride and determination.
The award function was headlined by a spell binding rock-symphonic version of the national anthem by Sounds of Kolachi. Award winning pop stars Sara Haider, Zoe Viccaji and traditional singers were also showcased at the event.
President of IAMKARACHI Jameel Yusuf S.St, described the event as a “celebration of the success of the city’s resilient spirit” and announced that the awards will be given out throughout the course of the year.
The ceremony was hosted by Karachi icons Deepak Perwani and Atiya Khan who discussed the necessity of a diverse culture in a mega-city like Karachi. This was followed by Vice President of Society for I AM KARACHI, Mr. Amin Hashwani who announced the official launch of a city wide sports festival that will begin next month. Founding member Ms. Rumana Hussain also announced the launch of a new wave of ‘Walls of Peace’ – where young artists cover hateful graffiti with their artistic creations to reclaim public space.
In an unprecedented display of support academics, business leaders and celebrities attended the function to show their love to the city and those honored. Awards were distributed by notable figures including: Ronak Lakhani, Zubaida Mustafa, Talat Hussain, Ishrat Hussain and Fuzon.
The event was a grand equalizer with citizens from all areas and strata uniting to mark the occasion, as could be seen in a visualization activity where residents of Karachi could mark their homes on a giant map.
Commissioner Karachi Asif Hyder Shah praised spirit of citizenship and said only if the citizens of Karachi will stand united, only then there is there hope for a prosperous Sindh and eventually a flourishing Pakistan.