Shaheer Ahmed
October is celebrated as Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The colors usually associated with it are Yellow and Blue. It was first celebrated in the 1980s. The purpose is to raise awareness and acceptance of people with Down Syndrome. Karachi Down Syndrome Program is celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with a new anthem, ‘Pyaar Baanto’.
The first Down Syndrome Anthem ‘Ao Hamaray Saath Chalo’ was released in 2017. It was written by Zehrah Nigah and sung by Ali Hamza. It featured Bushra Ansari, Sarwat Gilani, Javed Sheikh, Ahsan Khan, Momal Sheikh, Anoushey Ashraf, and Sheema Kirmani.
The new song ‘Pyaar Baanto’ is in collaboration with Natasha Noorani, Ali Hamza, Nafisa Khalid, Bilal Ali, and Haroon Shahid. The video is three minutes long. It features people with Down Syndrome who are playing with kittens, having fun, using paints, and making bubbles with a background music score of the artists featured.
The song is written by Zahid Ali Qureshi and produced by Sinnan Fazwani. It promotes the message of love, togetherness, value, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals with Down Syndrome.
This year’s Slogan was, “Did you know about one out of every 700 babies born in the world has Down syndrome? Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by a full or partial, extra copy of the chromosome.”
The sources from Karachi Down Syndrome Program said, “This anthem aims to create a society that looks beyond differences and embraces diversity. After all, love multiplies when it is shared with others, Tou Aao Humaray Sath Pyaar Baanto! [so come spread the love with us].”
It is great to see such initiatives taken where the masses are involved and engaged.
