Fathima Afsar, the IISJAA joint secretary, and Sabah Noureen along with other volunteers during a function to observe Ladies Reunion, in Jeddah.

The International Indian School-Jeddah Alumni Association (IISJAA) conducted a Ladies Reunion recently at the IISJ boys school premises

The event was welcomed by its members with great zeal and fervor, which was attended by over 400 female alumni members representing different batches from 1983 till 2014,

In her welcome speech, Fathima Afsar, the IISJAA joint secretary, said: “Reunions are but celebrations of old friendships and a chance to relive old memories. It’s an opportunity to come back to the school and revive our old experiences as students. I am happy that we are able to provide an opportunity for ladies to reminisce about the school days and the huge gathering today only proves what a close knit a group we all are.”

The event featured a series of programs comprising brilliant song performances by young girls. Sheema Darfashan, Nidhi Chandrashekhar and Nabila Khan enthralled the audience with their melodious performances.

Zainab Mohsin Mulji conducted the General Knowledge Quiz competition adding excitement to the evening. A quiz based on the IISJ evoked nostalgia in many of those present. Conducted by Abdul Samad the audience joyously participated in the different questions refreshing their memories about the school.

There were also some impromptu quizzes and contests which were received with a lot of enthusiasm by the guests. Adding the flavor of fashion, the ravishing bridal collection and designer wear Abayas by “Z Collection” were displayed on the stage. The breathtaking show was choreographed by Sabah Noureen.

Amtul Majeed Faroouqi from the 2000 batch choreographed the Fusion dance while the desi theme dance was choreographed by Maryam Kaleem and Qaisar Jahan, both from the 2012 batch. IISJAA honored the senior alumni members present amongst the audience. Senior Alumnus Sara Baig of 1983 and Tasneem Ali Khan from the 1988 batch were awarded designer abayas by Z Collections and gift hampers by Muttamyyuz sweets.

The event was sponsored by one of the leading health care providers, Al Abeer group, and one of the known brands in the FMCG sector, Mazola. The gifts for the winners, volunteers and participants were sponsored by Dabur Dermoviva. Product samplings were carried out by London Dairy Ice creams and Tiffany chocolates.

The program was anchored by Jennifer John of the 2005 batch and Amtul Farooqi of the batch of 2000.

The IISJAA executive member, Sabah Noureen, thanked the volunteers and school for their support and cooperation in organizing the proceedings of the reunion. “Reunions present a marker of time. It’s about reconnecting, rejuvenating and rejoicing the nostalgic moments. I saw the joy of rekindling lost friendships and possibly starting new ones with people who were just acquaintances in school. It brought emotional closure to years’ old situations and even drew out long overdue apologies,” she noted.

Apart from the IISJAA executive committee, the event was managed and supported by its volunteers who worked meticulously. They included Ayesha Saleem, Shaista Baig, Jennifer John, Sana Abdul Samad, Rehab Abdul Samad, Daniya Malik, Amtul Farooqi, Zainab Mulji and Huda Abdul Samad.

The official statement issued by the executive committee said that “It’s a moment of contentment that a small effort of IISJAA has been so rewarding to all its female members and we look forward to such continuous enthusiastic participation in future activities as well.”