Ann Donald previews the seven days ahead with wit and insight The twain shall meet

In a city with an estimated 13,000 Pakistanis and 8000 Indians among its population, the landscape has been relatively bare when it comes to vocal and vis-ible artistic events. All that is set to change thanks to three determined and enthusiastic young women. Sitting round the table at Glasgow's Ethnic Minority Enterprise Centre is festival chair

Ismet Raza, secretary Maimoona Kasmi, and Ifet Raza, the treasurer and Ismet's younger sister and a law student. With both Ismet and Maimoona already employed by the centre - whose role is to improve employment prospects for members of the ethnic minority community - the women were all too aware of gaps in the cultural and social lives of Asian youth in Scotland.

Their aim, says Ismet, was to wrap up the social points in an attractive and fun package. ''Alongside the fun of 48 hours of enjoyment there is a more serious purpose. Through the festival we want to highlight the issue of racism and address the social and employment problems facing all young people today.''

With unemployment significantly higher within ethnic minorities (especially among women) and the City Council already recognising what Ismet terms ''the lack of communication between young people and social services'', Youth Asia '97 is hoping to address the problems in a fun but effective way. Both the Performing Arts and Social Work departments of the council are investing in the festival and city leader Frank McAveety has already lent his support, sending a message of goodwill saying that he was delighted with ''their efforts to further the understanding of cultural diversity in the city and raise awareness of youth issues''.

The Government is showing

its commitment by sending Sam Galbraith, Minister for Health, Social Work, and Arts, along as the opening speaker.

Alongside Sam Galbraith on the opening platform will be the prime mover behind the festival and former Arts Development Officer For Cultural Diversity in Glasgow, Rushi Munshi. Ironically now working in Rotherham since his post in Glasgow ceased to be funded, Mr Munshi is pleased to see the communication channels up and running. He says: ''The Glasgow social work department realised two years ago that they needed to target the second and third-generation Asians who were simply not aware of the services available to them, so it's great that this festival is a way of informing people directly.''

Among those stallholders pitching up at Tramway are Positive Action In Housing, Youth Counselling Services Agency, Careers Services, and anti-drugs project Eshara. ''This way makes it all much more approachable,'' says Ifet. ''Because you have to be careful with culturally sensitive social issues and the way you handle giving out the information.'' She highlights a health stall's plans to give out free contraceptives which the trio quickly had to cancel due to the potential for religious offence. ''Presenting this as an arts package is the best way to get information across rather than bombarding people with leaflets, because the arts have no one language or no one religion.''

For Mr Munshi, the Youth Asia '97 festival is also a step in the right direction for the second and third-generation Asians in Scotland who are looking for a more contemporary cultural life.

''I did notice a lack of activity compared to what was going on in London or Birmingham,'' he says of Glasgow. ''On the whole, the events organised are all done by the elderly or older male section of the Asian community and are very much based on traditional art forms or celebrations of Indian and Pakistani religious festivals. Young Asians looking for something else tend to go into the mainstream.''

THEN a rousing cry of agreement comes from the trio around me. Maimoona looks round at her fellow organisers with a conspiratorial grin. ''It's always been the older Asian males who have been in charge of initiating things because they have the capital,'' she says. ''They have tried to organise things for young people but they've never asked our opinions. This event is the first to be organised by and for young people.'' Ismet concurs: ''The events like mela are good but there is an obvious gap for the young people who can't always relate to that type of festival.'' Councillor Bashir Mann, convener of the Arts and Culture committee, is only too happy to let the the younger generation take their part in raising the

community profile.

He says, laughing: ''I would not like to say what young people are feeling or thinking or what they want because I could be very wrong. It's great that they are taking affairs into their own hands because it develops confidence and helps keep the culture alive. I'm very proud of their work.''

For Ifet, Ismet, and Maimoona, Youth Asia '97 is a chance to assert their new-found confidence about being what they call an ''Asian Briton''. Citing the hip quotient attached to bands like Asian Dub Foundation and Cornershop, Ismet says: ''Nowadays many young people are coming back to their cultural identity and religion. People are now balancing identity out. It's no longer something to be hidden. Before you lived two different lives: at home you were Asian and outside you were British. People had great difficulty in juggling both lives and that's why they moved away from their Asian culture.''

Maimoona adds that for people born and raised in Glasgow the festival is a good platform to promote their roots. She says: ''If you aren't aware or get involved with your culture then it wastes away, which is why we are putting on everything from bhangra dancing to the Kultyar Theatre Group. You definitely need to hold on to your Asian culture.''

As all three admit, the family is the hub of Asian community life, with a distinctly low attendance at theatres. The festival aims therefore to introduce a modicum of relevant drama to a new audience. ''We have a very important play called The Brotherhood,'' enthuses Maimoona. ''It tackles real social issues within the context of a gang warfare play that talks about real life: drugs, loyalty, trust. There is Daylight Robbery from Anne George, who is Scotland's only female Asian producer/actor, and a play about the problems of the generation gap called Desi Munday/Vilayati Kudi.''

Ifet says they hope to introduce and encourage the younger generation to take a more active role in the Scottish arts scene. She says: ''We would like to show that you can be creative and have ambitions to work as an artist, writer, or actor. That's why we have invited the star from Bombay Blue, Shan Khan, who is going to be speaking about how he got into acting. It's very important to have role models who don't fall into the usual TV stereotypes of an Asian shopkeeper. In fact, the Centre for Contemporary Arts have been very keen to take a stall because they recognise that there are not enough Asian people in arts and the media.''

Before detractors make extreme accusations of segregation, the Youth Asia organisers stress that though the event is primarily geared towards Asian young people they are offering a multi-cultural programme. ''We have the Clann who re-enact Scottish battles and were in Braveheart,'' says Ismet, ''and there are Irish and Western dancers who will appeal to all ages. But the main hope is that Youth Asia will help break down barriers of ignorance and increase awareness for everyone.''

With hopes to become an annual event, Youth Asia is an over-due and promising new addition to Glasgow's cultural life.

n Youth Asia '97 is at Tramway, Glasgow from November 15-16. Day events are #1 and tickets for the bhangra pop band Legacy are #3.