The eight-day “Art for Life – Art for Gaza” artist camp, which began on April 30, 2025, at the Silk Road Culture Center, concluded on May 7 with an emotional and inspiring closing ceremony. The event featured powerful performances in various art forms including music, dance, and painting, and culminated in a grand charity auction attended by both national and international guests.
Ambassadors from Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Qatar, and Romania, along with cultural representatives from China and Iran, attended the closing event. Guests from France’s cultural and cinema communities also participated. They visited the center’s art displays, many of which had already been sold.
A highlight of the ceremony was the live shadow painting on illuminated canvases by renowned artists, including a surprise performance by celebrated artist Jamal Shah. These paintings were accompanied by live music and dance, creating a beautiful fusion of visual and performing arts. Artworks produced during the camp—such as paintings, calligraphy, origami, and sculptures—were presented for auction, with proceeds going to Gaza’s victims through the Palestinian Embassy.
Earlier in the program, Meeraan Malik and Zeeshan Usman Khattak, an emerging film maker and an established RJ hosted a special session featuring a blend of Pakistani and Palestinian music, short plays, and performances by both young and renowned artists. Participants included children from City School students from NUML’s Music Society, singer Arieb Azhar, and the 360 Degree Band. The Asif Khan Group’s elegy dance and Mehdi’s soulful Sufi rock and spoken word performances were especially well received. The SRCC Drum Circle also delivered a powerful drumming performance to a Palestinian song.
The ceremony concluded on a somber note as India violated Pakistani airspace early the following morning. Despite the tense backdrop, all artists and participants remained united in promoting a message of peace, justice, and solidarity.
The “Art for Life – Art for Gaza” camp was a non-commercial initiative of the Silk Road Culture Center, led by renowned artist Jamal Shah. Its aim was to express solidarity with the Palestinian people through the language of art. People from all walks of life participated, spreading a message of empathy, dialogue, and support through creative expression.
