Lok Virsa starts preparing for folk festival
Lok Virsa Deputy Director Anwarul Haq said that the Lok Virsa aimed to preserve the cultural and historical value of Pakistan. PHOTO: lokvirsa.org.pk
National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) has planned to hold Annual Folk Festival "Lok Mela" from November 6 to 15, a statement said on Thursday.
According to an official announcement, Lok Virsa annual event is scheduled from November 6 to 15 at Lok Virsa Complex, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian, Islamabad.
The organisers are expecting Federal Minister for Education, Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood to be present on the opening day besides public representatives, celebrities and artistes.
The main features will include provincial cultural pavilions from all provinces, besides Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and an international pavilion. The enclosures will show artisans at work, folk songs and dance performances, exotic craft bazaar, cultural nights, folklore performances, food courts, and many other activities.
As per tradition, the festival will formally open with a chadarposhi and dastarbandi ceremony, which is a way of proclaiming Lok Virsa's commitment to the high stature that craftspeople and folk artists have in the cultural mainstream.
This year, one established master crafts woman and one male folk artist and musician will be honoured with chaddarposhi and dastarbandi by the chief guest.
Culture departments of all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and diplomatic community have been invited to set up pavilions presenting their indigenous folk culture, artisans, folk artists and traditional cuisine as link nodes of the festival's foundation grid.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2020.