Samina's blog

The time to leave Pakistan has arrived. 

The Long March which dominated my last few days here has been resolved by the reinstatement of the judiciary.  Yet this represents only a part of its aim.  As anywhere, people here want justice and need ways to vocalise this in a framework which provides little opportunity for representation.  The Long March and the reinstatement of the judiciary was one way to highlight this need.  In SWAT this opportunity is rapidly fading, the Pakistani government having signed a 'peace treaty' which enables the Talibhan to operate Sharia Law. 

There is a real sense of doors closing on Pakistan, both in reality and symbolically.  Few airlines fly here now and those that do fly less often.  So, whilst Pakistan has been less directly affected by the economic downturn, the impact is being felt by seriously reduced exports and an international reluctance to engage.  Businesses are also impacted by international concerns relating to the social, political and specifically religious unease within the country.  They are equally affected by the government's own response to situations such as The Long March - closing roads doesn't exact

It's Tuesday, and I've been here for just over 2 days.  The range and depth of thinking, grass-roots engagement and 'dancing' necessary to push for development has been a fascinating journey.  I feel extremely priviledged to have had homes and spaces opened up to me and time given to discuss how artists, arts organisations, community activists and organisations are both challenging as well as being challenged by the social and political context.  Their are high levels of awareness of the need to present an alternative picture and to hold fast to positions of engagement and creative conn

At the board meeting, discussing Lahore Museum's planned extension, the thinking is largely routine to discussions that might be held anywhere.  On the use of space, land sites, logistics and pragmatics but also on how stakeholders might be involved and communities engaged.  An acknowledgement was given to the fact that social engagement and drawing in cultural diversity is also by its action, a political act.  This led the discussion towards a consideration of how wider engagement might be facilitated, whilst also acknowledging where blocks or detractors might appear.  The areas identi

The roads are closed in Lahore.  The government's response to the Long March is to prevent travel throughout the city.  How does one respond creatively to such political and social uncertainty?  Yesterday there was an opening at the gallery, here people talked, enjoyed the work and discussed how creativity might engender social and community development.  And broke the law.  Section 144 was in place which requires that no more than 4 people collect together at any one time.  If everyone observed this law families would be unable to live together, restaurants would close, students woul

Arrival

As we drove past the site of the cricket shootings and I asked if this was where 6 Pakistani police and a traffic warden lost their lives, the driver laughingly replies "Yes, we are brave men who live in Pakistan with terrorist attacks, bombings, shootings all around us.  Pakistan is full of brave men.  But it is America who prepares terrorists not Pakistan".  I guess the preperation of terrorists goes on at all levels and in all manner of spaces.

Following our first critical dialogue on the theme of ‘Happiness, Social Responsibility and Diversity’ I was reflecting on how we move on.  My thinking was focused on what we needed to say and how attendees could best communicate and engage in a dialogue with each other. 

Being Happy Together

Mel Larsen talks about her personal experiences of happiness, theories of happiness and explores their relationship to diversity and social responsibility.

About Mel www.mellarsen.com