An online conference and workshops were organized by the Institute of Visual Arts and Design, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU, Rawalpindi) and Aiwan-e-Ilm-o-Fann (Lahore), Pakistan, on 22-23 November 2023, within the framework of the International Islamic Art Festival ’23 commemorating UNESCO’s International Day of Islamic Art – 18 November. Prof. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Director General of IRCICA, gave a pre-recorded address at the opening ceremony, appraising the cooperation between Pakistan and IRCICA in the field of arts and the participation of artists from Pakistan in IRCICA’s calligraphy and illumination courses and International Calligraphy Competition. Opening addresses were given by Prof. Mamoona Khan, Chairperson, Institute of Visual Arts and Design; Prof. Sarwet Rasool, Dean of Social Sciences; the Chief Guest; Prof. Uzaira Rafique, Vice Chancellor, FJWU. During the working sessions, Master Calligrapher Efdaluddin Kılıç presented a paper and a practical workshop on behalf of IRCICA. Some paper titles: “Evolution of the Study of Islamic Art: From Ethnography to Theoretical Reflections”, Keynote Speaker Dr. Amjad Waheed; “Conceptions and Misconceptions about the Islamic Arabesques”, Dr. Shaukat Mahmood; “Empirical in the Miraculous, Conspicuous in the Inconspicuous”, Prof. Mamoona Khan; “Islamic Art in Modern Time”, Dr. Salah Sherzad; “A case of Al-Buraq as an Islamic Iconography in the Contemporary Digitally Mediated World of Augmented Reality”, Zarin Gul; “Nuqta in Islamic Art”, Keynote Speaker Gen. Ret. Humayun Khan Bangash; “Nastaliq in indo-Pak and Contribution of Abdul Majeed Parveen Raqam” (Secretary General of Aiwan-e-Ilm-o-Fann/Calligraphers’ Association of Pakistan) Irfan Ahmed Qureshi; “Mosaics in Islamic Architecture: Examining the Fusion of Art and Function in Mosques and Palaces”, Sidra Ashraf; “Spiritual Message of Islamic Art”, Efdaluddin Kılıç. The second day’s sessions were dedicated to practical demonstrations: Efdaluddin Kılıç (Türkiye), Irfan Ahmed Qureshi, Shaukat Ali Minhas Zareen Qalam (Pakistan) and Muhammad Nuri (UAE) on calligraphy; Mumtaz Baig (Pakistan) on paper making, Gülnihal Küpeli (Türkiye) on illumination. Conclusion remarks were delivered by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Uzaira Rafique and the Dean of Social Sciences Prof. Sarweet Rasool.
