Asma Abbasi brings alive the incredible history of Bahawalpur which dates back to 1748, when it was founded by Nawab Muhammed Bahawal Khan Abbasi 1. The princely State was one of the largest states of British India and was renowned for its magnificent architecture that had a unique Indo-Italian style. Through Asma’s paintings we can also experience the mystery and live the emotion of the most splendid era.

February 14, 2008
REOPENING OF REFURBISHED PREMISES & OPENING OF CAFÉ DES ARTS

Dr.M. Azam Chaudhry, Chairman of the Board of directors, the directors and the whole team of Alliance Française d’Islamabad reopens its refurbished premises, and its new Café des Arts (Pancake Specialties).

February 23, 2008
LECTURE: Ashura in Hispar: Re-Living Karbala in a remote village of the Karakoram

The Cultural Section of German Embassy in cooperation with Alliance Française d’Islamabad presented a lecture by Professor Dr.Hugh van Skyhawk, who is a full professor of Comparative Religion at Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations and Qaid-i-Azam University, who lectured on the Ashura in Hispar: Re-Living Karbala in a remote village of the Karakoram.

February 27, 2008
EXHIBITION: PAINTINGS-IMAGES OF THE SOUL

Samina Jamshed presented her bold and provocative style through her paintings of the images of the Soul. Her figures represented a fair bit of soul searching and were composed with an array of beautiful colors.

March 2, 2008
PLAY: NO EXIT

Alliance Française d’Islamabad in collaboration with PNCA, presented its new play, “No Exit”. The play is set in a room in hell where three souls find themselves locked together for eternity. What begins as a journey of self-exploration for the characters as they come to terms with the actions which led them to hell. Brilliantly produced by Tughral Turab Ali and Irum Haroon this play was a treat for all! The cast included Tughral Turab Ali, Salman Akhtar, Fizza Hasan and Nadine Murtaza.

March 18, 2008
FRANCOPHONE CONCERT: MARC LOOPUYT & THOMAS LOOPUYT

To celebrate the Francophonie Week, The Alliance Française d’Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in partnership with the support of the Embassy of France to Pakistan, In partnership to Air France held a concert of classical Arabic music, “Duo de Oud” by Marc and Thomas Loopuyt.

March 25, 2008
FRANCOPHONIE FILM FESTIVAL

Seven different countries Canada, Vietnam, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Tunisia, and Romania premiered 7 different films which included: La Grande Seduction, Mua Len Trau (Buffalo Boy), Henry Dunant Du Rouge Sur La Croix-Red on the Cross, Un Long Dimanche De Fiancailles (A Very Long Engagement), Hop de Dominique Standaert, Le Chant De La Noria, and Filantropica

April 9, 2008
Exhibition of Photographs-Jewellery: “Indian Princes and French Jewellers”

Alliance Française d'Islamabad presents, "Indian Princes & French Jewellers", an exhibition about the jewellery worn by Maharadjas and created by Cartier, Mauboussin, Van Cleef & Arpels. As inspirational as the sub-continent culture itself the jewellery is ever so alluring. The jewellery ranges from intricate designs and patterns, to basic modern simplicity on its own.

April 19, 2008
LECTURE: Nauroz in Hispar: Rites of Community and Regeneration

The Cultural Section of German Embassy in cooperation with Alliance Française d’Islamabad presented a lecture by Professor Dr.Hugh van Skyhawk, who is a full professor of Comparative Religion at Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations and Qaid-i-Azam University, who lectured on the Nauroz in Hispar: Rites of Community of Regeneration.

April 24, 2008
EXHIBITION: Photographs of Pakistan

Asian Study Group of Pakistan exhibited photographs taken by their members.

April 30, 2008
EXHIBITION: PAINTINGS- Glimpses of Me, My life in Islamabad

Asif showcased his work on his life and experiences in Islamabad. He invites his audience to experience through his vision various, landscapes, abstracts, and paintings of his life and experiences in Islamabad..

May 14,2008
Exhibition of Paintings : “Heritage Sensitivity: Par Amour du Patrimoine”

Mubashir’s paintings have pure emotions attached as he shows his sensitive nature and love for his Heritage of Pakistan. He has exhibited his work at various galleries and has gained enormous response with every exhibition up-to-date. Once again Mubashir creates beautiful colorful paintings by using different mediums such as watercolors and pyrography (woodburning). His paintings consist of architectural scenes of Pakistan. Mubashir simply expresses his immense pride in his heritage which can be seen throughout his paintings.

May 27, 2008
BOOK PRESENTATION OPENING: “Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the messenger of Qawwali”

Alliance Française d’Islamabad presented a book presentation by Pierre Alain Baud. Pierre Alain Baud has published the first ever biography on Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan published in the French speaking world. Not only is Pierre Alain Baud a Researcher, Artistic Counselor, journalist, but he is also interested in spreading the artistic expressions of the “Sufi East” into our world. Pierre Alain Baud himself has worked many years alongside with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, thus contributing to participating in organizing many of his international tours and meeting him on and off in Pakistan. He has written several books, Cd’s, booklets, researched articles, around the music’s of Pakistan and Sufism. Click here for Press Review

May 28, 2008
Exhibition of Photographs: “Through my Eyes: Ce que je vois"

Sarah Ahmed's photography in a sense is her way of communicating with her audiences. This exhibition of photographs reflects all the things that we as human beings simply, ignore. As Sarah puts it, "If we look closely enough we can see that things we easily discarded or just failed to notice have so much to say.”

June 11, 2008
Exhibition of Paintings :“Meditative Strokes: Traits de Méditation”

Fauzia Aziz Minallah has a style which separates her from other artists of today. Her use of color and abstract lines possessing her paintings makes one feel enchanted and caught in a surreal world of its own. EXHIBITION CANCELLED

June 18, 2008
ART APPRECIATION LECTURE by Mariano Akerman: Discovering Belgian Art

To mark the international Year of Cultural Diversity Alliance Française d’Islamabad and the Embassy of Belgium in Pakistan presented the art-appreciation lecture which was given by Mariano Akerman. A painter himself, Akerman has exhibited his artwork solo or in group in Argentina, Spain, Japan, Philippines and Sweden. He has been awarded with twelve major international prizes. He has lectured on this topic at renowned institutions such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires and the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila.