World Culture Festival to bring artists from 150 countries to Karachi

25-day event to feature over 1,000 foreign, 500 Pakistani artists; 80% of programmes to be free

KARACHI:

For 25 days, Karachi will become a meeting point for artists from across the globe as the World Culture Festival returns with its third edition, bringing more than 1,000 international performers and over 500 Pakistani artists to the city.

According to a statement by the Arts Council President Ahmad Shah on Thursday, the festival, jointly organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi and the Sindh government, will run from October 29 to November 22.

Artists from around 150 countries are expected to participate in the festival, which organisers say is aimed at using culture as a bridge between people and promoting a message of peace.

“The World Culture Festival has become an important reference point for Pakistan’s cultural identity,” Shah said. He added that the scale of international participation has grown sharply since the festival was launched. While 43 countries participated in its first edition, the second brought artists from 144 countries, according to Shah.

 

 

 

 

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This year, the festival will feature artists from six continents, including the United States, Iran, Iraq, Palestine and countries across Latin America. Two Palestinian theatre groups will also participate, Shah said, adding that several members of the groups had been killed.

Shah said the festival was not simply about staging performances but about using culture as a form of diplomacy. “We decided to use cultural diplomacy to remove misconceptions about Pakistan, Sindh and Karachi,” he said, adding that foreign artists and delegates were being invited so they could experience the country firsthand and take a positive message back home.

Shah further emphasised that the festival will bring together theatre, music, dance, film, folk and other art forms under one platform, where Pakistani artists from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Kashmir and the Seraiki belt will perform alongside international artists.

Fusion performances involving Pakistani and foreign artists will also be staged, while Sindh’s traditional music and instruments, including the algoza and borindo, will receive special attention. A special Mehran Night will showcase Sindh’s cultural heritage, while the Shah Latif Voices Festival will also be launched.

Shah said international artists had shown particular interest in Pakistan’s traditional instruments, adding that the festival would provide opportunities for greater cultural exchange.

According to the statement, Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah stressed that the government wanted to expand the cultural activity beyond the Arts Council and turn the surrounding area into an “Art Village”. He said the KMC, town administration, Water Board, deputy commissioner’s office and other institutions were working on the initiative.

"Road improvements, lighting, benches, food facilities and pedestrian pathways were being developed, with the aim of completing the work before winter. The Arts Council, museums and other cultural venues would eventually form part of an integrated cultural environment," he said.

Special teams were also working on security, traffic and arrangements for receiving foreign delegations, while federal ministries were extending their cooperation.
Sindh Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said all relevant provincial departments had been mobilised for the festival, with coordination also under way with the Civil Aviation Authority, ASF, police and other security agencies.

The minister described the festival as an important vehicle for projecting Pakistan’s soft image. “Pakistan was previously associated with the image of terrorism, but cultural festivals are helping present its positive and cultural identity to the world,” he said.

He added that the festival’s broader objective was to promote love, tolerance and peace by bringing people and cultures together. “The fundamental objective is to bring people closer through culture and convey a message of peace,” Shah said.

The minister further said the number of foreign tourists visiting Pakistan’s tourist destinations had increased by around 50% over the past three years, with cultural activities contributing to the trend.

Around 80% of the festival’s programmes will be free, although advance registration will be required, while tickets will be charged for six to eight major mega concerts, offering visitors a mix of accessible cultural events and large-scale entertainment.