Pakistani and Chinese dancers perform at PNCA. PHOTOS: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD: Wuhan artists enthralled the audience on Wednesday with their performance at Pakistan National Council of The Arts (PNCA) during the ongoing China Tourism and Culture Week 2019.
The globally celebrated week saw exhibition of Wuhan Tourism Promotion, Gala Performance, Photo Exhibition on the topic of “Beautiful China” and special lectures on Tourism and Culture organised by CCC.
Today artists from Wuhan Arts Troupe, as well as Pakistani Artists from National Performing Arts Group of PNCA performed in Gala Performance. Culture is a bond uniting people of China and Pakistan, and we are here tonight to have a glimpse of this colorful culture in performances by artists from both countries.
China Cultural Centre (CCC) Pakistan on Wednesday organized two special lectures on 'Tourism and the Chinese Puppet' in connection with 'China Tourism and Culture Week 2019'.
Chinese Embassy Cultural Counsellor and CCC Director Zhang Heqing was the chief guest on the occasion. The lectures were delivered by Liu Qingping and expert of Wuhan Municipal Museum, Adjunct Professor for Wuhan University, Hubei University and Jianghan University and Zhuang Yuan, Director of Puppet Art Center of Wuhan People's Arts Theatre, Member of China Theatre Association, Member of China Puppetry and Shadow Arts Association.
Liu Qingping highlighted the topic "Our City, Our Homeland" by introducing the history and culture of Wuhan city, as well as the comparison between the past and the present terms of people's clothing, food, housing and so on.
The lecture vividly shows the rapid development of Wuhan city.
Liu Qingping said that located in central China, Wuhan is a mega city in the middle reaches of the Yangtza River and the Capital city of Hubei province, serving as an important industrial, scientific and educational base, as well as comprehensive transportation hub in China.
Zhuang Yuan presented his copy on "the Chinese Puppet Show" and explained the history, development and types of Chinese traditional art - Puppet Show and visually demonstrates the charm of the intangible cultural heritage of puppet show through pictures.
Zhuang Yuan said that Puppet performances of various types were popular in China, adding that there were several forms of puppet theaters in China.
The Chinese puppet theaters come in four forms: marionettes on strings or wires, rod puppets, shadow plays and hand manipulated glow-type puppets.
A week-long celebration of China Tourism and Cultural Week 2019 is in full swing here at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) started on June 18.
It is a global event celebrated throughout the world by China.
The lectures were attended by diverse audience largely comprised of students from different universities
Tour de Khunjerab
Besides Afghanistan, this year the Tour de Khunjerab will also feature the Sri Lankan team in the extravaganza, to kick off from June 27 to 30. Addressing a press conference here, at Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) on Wednesday, Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) Vice-President Haroon General said the government of Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) and Serena Hotels is holding the Tour de Khunjerab.
"This year we have also invited international referees and commissioners from Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as we aim to make this tour internationally acclaimed in 2020," he said.
Haroon General said last year the 'Tour de Khunjerab' was a three-day event this year we have increased it to a day more. "Last year Abdul Razzaq was the over-all winner of the event," he said.
Briefing about the 'Tour de Khunjerab', he said the Stage I will start from Gilgit to Ghulmat (distance 68km, elevation gain 850m); Stage 2 from Ghulmat to Dulkar (distance 35km, elevation gain 950m); Stage 3 Aliabad to Sost (distance 92km, elevation gain 1,700m) and Stage 4 from Sost to Khunjerab (distance 84km, elevation gain 2,000m).
The teams to participate in the extravagansa include Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber Paktunkhawa, Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan Army, POF Wah, Wapda, SSGC, Bikestan, Crank Addicts, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and open category. "The 2020 Tour will be an international event with four to five teams to participate in the extravaganza," Haroon General said and added we will also be finalizing the 2020 event dates with UCI.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2019.
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