Cultural display highlights Meo identity

The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) has established a new cultural diorama dedicated to the "Meo community" at the Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology – Heritage Museum, showcasing the unique history, culture, and traditions of the Meo community, an important ethnolinguistic group within the diverse cultural landscape of Pakistan.

Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi inaugurated the display.

In his remarks, the minister said: "The Meo community is a vibrant and integral part of Pakistan's cultural mosaic. Their rich heritage, values of resilience, and contributions to local traditions deserve to be celebrated and preserved. The creation of this cultural diorama at Lok Virsa is a commendable step towards acknowledging and honouring our diverse identities".

This initiative not only documents the living culture of a historic community but also reaffirms the government's commitment to cultural inclusion and national unity, he maintained. The minister congratulated Lok Virsa for consistently promoting the voices of underrepresented communities through creative and meaningful platforms.

Farah Naz Akbar, Parliamentary secretary, Asad Rehman Gilani, secretary, and a large number of people from the community attended the event. This display is an example of community engagement, as the display has been sponsored by the community.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Waqas Saleem, Executive Director, Lok Virsa stated: "This diorama is part of Lok Virsa's ongoing commitment to inclusivity in cultural representation.