Indonesia-Pak photo exhibit draws crowds

Diplomats, govt officials attend inaugural ceremony of five-day event

ISLAMABAD:

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesian and Lok Virsa organised a five-day photo exhibition titled “A Night at Lok Virsa museum: The Confluence of Civilization between Indonesia and Pakistan”, starting from July 21 and running till July 24 at Lok Virsa Museum.

The exhibition is a humble attempt to connect the dots of ancient civilisation, including art form, sculptures, architecture, and the spread of various religions in the archipelago through the Indian sub-continent.

“A Night at Lok Virsa Museum”, aims to highlight fresh perspectives into historical connections, religious backgrounds, and to strengthen the cultural ties between the two Muslim brotherly countries.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by the diplomatic corps, business community, government officials, prominent media personalities, and the Indonesian diaspora.

Indonesian Ambassador Adam Tugio said that Indonesia and Pakistan were home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

"Pakistan and Indonesia are blessed with rich cultural heritage and traditions carrying interesting and attractive similarities which play an important role in keeping the brother ties stronger," he added.

The audience enjoyed the fusion and commixture of Indonesian and Pakistani music in the blend of the local piquancy, while the Pakistani artistes flaunted their expertise in tabla, flute, and rubab.

The Pakistani musicians also performed the song "Hello hello Sayang tu," which means "Hello dear one" in Indonesian, from the well-known Pakistani film 'Bandish'.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Mr Sajjad Ahmad said, “We hope this joint effort on the part of Lok Virsa and the Indonesian Embassy would go a long way in promoting and strengthening the existing cultural relation between Indonesia and Pakistan.”

Visitors were captivated by the photo exhibition, Indonesia batik and Ajrak stall, which displayed a diverse range of vibrant and traditional products.

The live batik making and Ajrak stamping drew a large crowd, and the talent and creativity of the artisans were highly appreciated.

Moreover, the event was followed by an Indonesian dinner hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.

The guests were served a variety of Indonesian delicacies such as Satay ayyam, nasi goreng, fried noodles, martabak, layer cake and plenty of other dishes.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2022.