GCU and AJOKA to forge partnership for socially impactful plays

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The Government College University (GCU) Lahore Dramatics Club and AJOKA Theatre convened to deliberate on potential collaborations aimed at producing impactful plays and other joint initiatives aimed at engaging and educating audiences.

Chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shazia Bashir and AJOKA Executive Director Shahid Nadeem, the meeting centered on leveraging drama and theatre as catalysts for social development.

Accompanying the esteemed leaders were GCU Advisor Students’ Affairs, M. Siddique Ahmad Awan, and Director Academic Planning and External Links, Dr. Fouzia Shahin.

Prof. Dr. Shazia Bashir underscored the power of entertainment media in conveying meaningful messages. She emphasized the historical significance of co-curricular activities such as debates and theatre in shaping the character and skills of GCU students.

Shahid Nadeem, Executive Director of AJOKA, shed light on prevailing challenges within the drama industry, highlighting the prevalent focus on ratings and profits at the expense of addressing societal needs. He affirmed that collaborations like the one between GCU and AJOKA can counteract this trend by producing content that both engages and educates.

Nadeem also expressed his pride in returning to GCU, his alma mater, which also boasts the late Madeeha Gauhar, founder of AJOKA, as an alumna.

As AJOKA Theatre celebrates its fortieth anniversary and GCU commemorates 160 years since its establishment, both institutions expressed their intention to formalize their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding. The Vice-Chancellor extended an invitation to Mr. Nadeem to collaborate with GCU in establishing a department of Theatre Studies.

The meeting concluded with an optimistic outlook towards future collaborations, with both parties eager to harness the power of drama and theatre for social change and education.