ISF holds Children's Day celebrations in Dammam

DAMMAM — Indian Social Forum-ISF (Andhra and Telangana Region) had organized Children’s Festival at Rafa Clinic Auditorium in Al-Khobar recently. The main purpose of the festival was to provide children of the Indian community in the Eastern Province a platform to showcase their skills and talents. The children presented a colorful cultural show wherein they performed different fine arts, which included acting and musical renditions. The audience encouraged the children and applauded their efforts. After the cultural show, Vice President of ISF Syed Mansour Shah addressed the gathering. He urged parents to prevent their children from getting addicted to video games, mobile phones and the Internet as such addiction will make them insensitive toward society. They will lose the human feelings and will treat human beings as mere objects. In some cases, the children could become victims of depression and other psychiatric ailments, he said. Guest speaker Irfan Iqbal Khan, member, Managing Committee of Indian International School, Dammam (IISD), advised parents to behave softly with their children as any type of stress on children or hard talk will make them frustrated personalities, which can adversely affect their education and career. Another guest speaker, well-known social activist and financial expert Abraham Thomas, narrated for the children some stories with morals in an attractive manner. President of ISF (Andhra and Telangana Wing) Mohammed Abdulwaheed requested children to associate themselves with good social causes and advised them to keep any eye on the changing social and economic horizons in India to be able to contribute their might to the nation building when they return home. Lastly, the chairman of ISF Central committee of the Eastern Province, Waseem Rabbani, in his address thanked the audience for taking their time to attend the festival and encourage the participants. He briefed them about the activities which the ISF has undertaken in different parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and how the volunteers of ISF have been assisting Indian expatriates, especially the ones who are underprivileged and working as unskilled labor, drivers and housemaids and who often require legal, medical or other assistance and guidance. ISF presented shawls to many social activists including Muzzafer Ahmed, Syed Mahmoud, Abdulsattar, Manju Manikwa, Mahipal, Tauseef Ahmed, Ahmed Meeran and Abdulkhader as token of appreciation for their selfless services to the community. Prizes were distributed to the first three place winners of a painting contest that was held in five different categories while all other contestants were awarded with participation certificates. Mohammed Abdulsaleem anchored the entire event beautifully and kept the children energized throughout the event. Members of the ISF (Telangana and Andhra wing) Mohammed Abdulazeem, Mohammed Fakhruddin Baseer, Ather Jaweed and Mohammed Sadeq played an important role in organizing the event and making it a success.