Day 1 opened with a thought-provoking keynote address by Ms. Afia Salam (Veteran Journalist) on “Can films save the environment?”. This was followed by a dramatic poetry reading by Mr. Nasir Mazari (Assistant Professor, SMC), accompanied by a graceful dance performance, setting the tone for an evening of art and reflection.
The highlight of the day was the screening of “Jahan Aur Bhi Hain (Beyond the Blue)”, a telefilm directed by Mr. Sarmad Cheema (Senior Lecturer, SMC), with music composed by Mr. Usman Rana (Lecturer, SMC) and Mr. Azeem Danish. After the screening, a panel discussion was held, moderated by Mr. Sarmad Cheema, with distinguished panelists Ms. Afia Salam, Ms. Imrana Tiwana (Sustainable Development Specialist), Mr. Abrar ul Hassan (Founder, 60 Seconds Film Festival), and Mr. Daniyal Raheal (Actor). The engaging conversation highlighted the power of storytelling in addressing climate challenges. To honor the esteemed guests, Professor Dr. Bushra H. Rahman, Dean SMC, presented shields, and the evening concluded with a soulful Ghazal Night by Ustad Chand Khan.
Day 2 featured two insightful workshops by Mr. Abrar ul Hassan. The first, “Curating Film Festivals”, provided students with essential knowledge of festival programming, while the second, “AI in Filmmaking”, explored the role of emerging technologies in cinema.
ECO–Narratives successfully brought together creativity, performance, and dialogue, reminding us of the vital role of media and storytelling in shaping a sustainable world.
