German cultural institution Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, in partnership with HerStory Foundation will host a digital reading circle of My Young And Foolish Heart, a play by German author-playwright Anja Hilling on Wednesday, 7 pm on the online platform Zoom.

Open to any adult audience upon free registration, the event titled 'Sister Library: Circle Reading Apart Together' will feature the short 6-character play that explores the topics of memory, will, love and interpersonal connections.

Powered by female excellence, the reading circle is a space to celebrate female creativity. The Sister Library holds one thousand works of women writers, artists and zine makers and gradually becoming an evolving, generative venture that engages with an in-depth reflection on the visual and reading cultures of the current times. The goal of the project is to bring the readers together, to explore literary contributions, showcase the artistic quality and celebrate women in the creative world as well as to foster interests and understanding of the accomplishments of female writers and artists - according to the Goethe-Institute Bangladesh.

The author Anja Hilling, born 1975, is a graduate of the course in creative writing for the stage at the University of the Arts in Berlin, Germany - where she studied from 2002 to 2006 after doing a degree in theatre studies and German literature at Munich and Berlin. She wrote her first play during the time, which earned her an invitation to the Stückemarkt at the 2003 Berlin Theatertreffen, where she was awarded the Dresdner Bank Young Dramatists’ Prize.
 
At present, Anja Hilling is living in Berlin and working on a new play for the Thalia Theater Hamburg. She will join the online event from Berlin to read her play.

Goethe informs that following the usual format of the event, the circle readers take turns reading from the text and it is not mandatory for every participant to read, instead, the participants can continue listening while the speaker narrates the play. The participant can read considering the limitation of the session timing.

To register for the session, participants can fill out the form available in this link - https://forms.gle/dkfDqEoVLWhEkycD7. Once registered, Goethe will send the English/Bangla text and the zoom link to the meeting.

For additional information, interested readers can visit https://www.goethe.de/ins/bd/en/ver.cfmfuseaction=events.detail&event_id=22025662.

Renowned art arena Gallery Kaya virtually inaugurated a fortnightly exhibition, showcasing 23 artworks of 15 renowned Bangladeshi artists.

The virtual exhibition, titled ‘Scaled Up’ was virtually inaugurated on Oct 31. Works done in acrylic, oil, charcoal, pastel and mixed media on canvas and paper are being showcased in this exhibition.

The special exhibition features enthralling artworks from noted artists including Nitun Kundu, Samarjit Roy Choudhury, Hashem Khan, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Chandra Shekhar Dey, Mohammad Eunus, Jamal Ahmed, Ranjit Das, Goutam Chakraborty, Mohammad Iqbal, Aloptogin Tushar, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, Ashraful Hasan, Kamaluddin and Bishwajit Goswami.

“During this ongoing pandemic, we have done other virtual exhibitions, but in this special fortnightly artistic venture we are thrilled to showcase artworks that are made in larger canvases by all these eminent artists, as the name of the exhibition suggests,” Rajen Gain, Coordinator of Gallery Kaya, told UNB.

The exhibition is sponsored by ADN Group and its online partner is www.artitude.com.bd. Art enthusiasts can visit Gallery Kaya’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/gallerikaya or mail to rajengain@gmail.com and gallkaya@gmail.com for related information and catalogue.

Anyone can contact the gallery for a virtual catalogue featuring the 23 artworks till November 15.

After suspension of all activities in the last six months due to Corononvirus pandemic, the theatre scene is bringing back the festivity again with a brand new play titled Ekti Loukik othoba Oloukik Steamer by renowned theatre troupe Dhaka Theatre.

It was inaugurated on Friday evening at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s National Theatre Hall and earned massive applause from the audience.

Directed by noted stage, television and film actor Shahiduzzaman Selim, the play is written by playwright Anan Zaman, Associate professor of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University. Ministry of Cultural Affairs is associating the play as its patron.

Featuring eminent actors from the theatre arena of the country, the play has several respected and talented individuals behind the scene including Rosey Siddique as the costume designer, Snata Shahrin as the choreographer, eminent actor-director Afzal Hossain as the overall design in-charge, popular musician Rahul Anand as the music director and Saifuddin Ahmed Dulal as the chief-coordinator.

Ekti Loukik othoba Oloukik Steamer narrates the story of a group of people waiting for a steamer to escape from the ugly reality, which caused themselves being infected with an unknown virus. The reality is they are polluted with their criminal activities, corruptions in several sectors in the societal system, injustice-inequity and more.

Gradually they start confessing to their crimes while waiting for the steamer that can rescue them; however, the question remains on if there is any actual steamer or it is just their illusion as to their escaping route from their deadly reality.

After the staging of the play, director Selim welcomed the distinguished guests of the inaugural show on stage including state minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid, renowned actor-theatre activist and former state minister of cultural affairs Asaduzzaman Noor and Liberation War Museum trustee Dr Sarwar Ali.

"The pandemic brought an exceptionally unimaginable situation for the cultural arena all around the world as the whole process involves enjoying the festivity with a great gathering of people, something that unfortunately welcomes and accelerates the contamination risks of the coronavirus in this ongoing global pandemic situation. However, the cultural arena is rising again by adopting the new normals and helping people to get over these hard times, and I really admire the effort behind this wonderful presentation, something our ministry is proudly associated with", KM Khalid said after the play ended.

Former state minister and respected thespian Asaduzzaman Noor applauded the performers, saying, “We, the cultural workers have always performed our responsibilities towards the society whenever there has been any crisis. Currently, we are going through such a situation and I am proud that the performers have stepped up again with such a wonderful presentation like this”.

Noor and other special guests also wished eminent cultural personality and Dhaka Theatre team leader Nasir Uddin Yousuff his speedy recovery, who could not join the event due to his illness.

As part of the two-day inaugural festivity, the play will be staged again at 7 pm on Saturday at the same venue. Audiences can visit Dhaka Theatre’s Facebook page for additional information on tickets.

Read Also: BSA to reopen its theatre venues on October 23

‘Amar Joboner Golpo’, an autobiography by President of Faridpur District Puja Udjapon Parishad CIP Dr Jashoda Jibon Debnath’s, has been unveiled at a programme in Faridpur.

The book was unveiled at Ambika Memorial hall at Jhilatuli in the district town on Friday night.

President of Faridpur Press Club Kabirul Islam Siddique presided over the programme.

Mashiur Rahman Khokon, general secretary of Faridpur Press Club conducted the programme while Jibo Debnath, freedom fighter PK Sarkar, Sazzad Hossain Rony, Biswajit Saha Tanu and Prof. Mizanur Rahman Manik were present on the occasion.

Read Also: DU faculty Roufun Naher’s book on mental health unveiled

The Cosmos Foundation, the non-profit philanthropic and cultural arm of the Cosmos Group, and the Liberation War Museum signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday with the aim of boosting their cooperation and collaboration.

Under it, the Cosmos Foundation will offer its services to the Museum based on its expertise in relevant fields, as also financial support as and when necessary on mutually agreed terms.

Enayetullah Khan, Chairman of the Cosmos Foundation, expressed his deep satisfaction with regard to the MoU.

He said, “We are delighted to take the ties between the two organizations to newer heights with the signing. The Foundation has high-tech capability of digital recording, editing and presentation of digital content.”

Pledging the Foundation’s full support to the Museum, he added: “We are willing to open our technical resources for the Museum’s use and benefit.”

The MoU has identified several key areas of cooperation. These are : first, financial and technical  support to be extended by the Foundation to the Museum’s annual Liberation Docfest and Filmfest events; second, support by the Foundation , having 360 digital cameras and necessary expertise, to conduct of virtual tours of the museum on pro bono basis; third, offer of assistance by the Foundation to the museum for the holding of various artistic and cultural events; and fourth , commitment by both sides to identify newer areas of cooperation from time to time.

The Liberation War museum was established in 1996 by the Muktijuddha Smriti Trust. It has since earned overwhelming recognition at home and abroad, as an organization of national importance in collecting, preserving and presenting the glorious history of the Bangladesh Liberation War.

The Cosmos Foundation, which commenced its journey as a philanthropic organization in 2015, devoted to the promotion of art and culture, has now emerged as a renowned think-tank hosting seminars and discussions on issues of global and regional significance with well-known international scholars and thought leaders as speakers.

Members of its Advisory Body are Dr Danilo Turk, former President of Slovenia, Ambassador George Moose Vice Chairman of the United States Institute for Peace; Ambassador Li Debiao, a distinguished retired Chinese diplomat, former Foreign Secretary Krishnan Srinivasan of India and Professor Haider Khan of the Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver.

Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, former Foreign Affairs Advisor, Government of Bangladesh, is the President of the Cosmos Foundation.

Read Also: Cosmos Foundation's webinar on impact of COVID-19 on Bangladesh underway