FICCI FLO JKL organizes Art Camp at Octroi Post Suchetgarh Border

RS PURA, JULY 21: FICCI FLO Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh, in association with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Institute of Music & Fine Art (IMFA), University of Jammu, hosted a transformative Art Camp at Octroi Post Suchetgarh Border, RS Pura.

The art camp was inaugurated by BSF Commandant Ajay Sharma in presence of Varuna Anand, Chairperson of FICCI FLO Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh, along with the core team members, including Ruchika Gupta, Aarti Choudhary, Sona Mehta, Pooja Gandotra, and Mona Saraf.

The camp brought together 20 talented artists from IMFA, University of Jammu, headed by Ankush Kesar to create beautiful paintings, aiming to depict Globalisation and Incentivising Peace & Prosperity in Jammu & Kashmir, while also showcasing the BSF as the real Sentinels of Peace on our Borders.

In his address, Commandant Ajay Sharma lauded the efforts of FICCI FLO in organizing the camp and recognized the creative potential of art in fostering a vision of peace and prosperity for the region.

Speaking to media persons at the Octroi Post Suchetgarh Border, Varuna Anand, Chairperson of FICCI FLO JKL, expressed her enthusiasm for the event and its underlying purpose. “We are delighted to collaborate with the BSF and IMFA for this remarkable Art Camp. The theme for the camp at Octroi Post, Suchetgarh Border, was globalizing & incentivising peace and prosperity in Jammu & Kashmir. Through these paintings, we hope to acknowledge the efforts of LG Manoj Sinha and the Tourism Department in promoting this border area as a major tourist attraction and fostering peace and harmony within the region,” said Varuna Anand.

She said the paintings created during the Art Camp will be presented as symbols of peace and development to senior government officials/offices, as a gesture of appreciation for their dedication to progress and stability in the region.

Emphasizing the role of the Border Security Force in maintaining peace at the borders, Varuna Anand stated, “The camp’s underlying goal is to highlight the extraordinary efforts of our Border Guards – the BSF Personnel, who act as the true Sentinels of Peace on our borders. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 3D formula – Development, Democracy, and Dialogue, we envision using these artworks to script a new chapter of peace and prosperity for Jammu & Kashmir.”

“Art holds immense potential in peace-building efforts, not only for conflict resolution but also for post-conflict reconciliation. It transcends linguistic barriers and is recognized as a universal language, making it an ideal resource to showcase the unified vision of “Naya Jammu & Kashmir,” with BSF playing a crucial role in maintaining calm borders,” she said.

The successful G20 meet held in Kashmir has further fueled the drive to utilize art as a powerful medium to promote peace and cooperation in the region, she added.