A girl tries out traditional jewellery while another takes her picture at the National Exhibition of Textiles at the Lok Virsa in Islamabad. PHOTO: ONLINE
The federal secretary expressed these thoughts while addressing the opening ceremony of the six-day National Music Festival organised by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).
He said that the country was responsible for transferring its customs, traditions and cultural heritage to the next generation so that our youngsters remain well-informed of their past. Programmes such as this national festival were a great contribution in this regard.
PNCA Director General Jamal Shah said that the festival will prove to be a great source of entertainment for people.
The festival will continue until April 25 and will see participation from a large number of singers.
Textile exhibition
Separately, the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage — Lok Virsa launched a three-day exhibition of textiles on Friday featuring the skills of craftspeople with expertise in textiles.
Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul inaugurated the exhibition. The opening ceremony was followed by performances based on "Kalam-e-Iqbal" to pay tribute to Dr Allama Iqbal coinciding with his forthcoming death anniversary on April 21.
Gul stated that Iqbal's teachings are a source of guidance for the young generation. She added that those who follow Iqbal’s teachings adhere to the concept of connecting with different people rather than dividing them.
She appreciated Lok Virsa for promoting textile craft and recognizing the forgotten breed of craftspeople.
The textile exhibition also features a Folk Food Festival, featuring stalls of traditional foods such as Balochi sajji, chapli kabab, saag roti and many other scrumptious regional foods.
The three-day festivity will also feature a musical evening.
The event has been arranged in collaboration with provincial culture departments and small industries corporations to welcome the spring season with a festive mood.
The textile exhibition aims at promoting the traditional textiles and encouraging master artisans associated with them to continue practising the centuries' old traditions inherited by them from their forefathers. It is a unique opportunity for artisans in the field of textile to not only demonstrate their craftsmanship for three consecutive days but also sell their products to public and visiting foreign delegates without any exploitation by the middleman.
Lok Virsa Executive Director Shahira Shahid said the objective of the festival is to reinforce and strengthen national integration by promoting the cultural heritage of Pakistan through active participation of all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. This unique event will serve as a symbol of the federation's recognition and patronage to the rich cultural diversity and active participation of the people of Pakistan.
With additional input from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2019.
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