Carnival of hope: For the love of food, music and fighting stereotypes

Regional Food Festival aimed at promoting a soft image of the city.

PESHAWAR: The weekend kicked off with a delectable start with a three-day regional food festival at Pearl Continental (PC) hotel in Peshawar.

According to a press release, the festival began on Friday and was organised at the hotel’s Green Lawn.

On the first day, a diverse menu of dishes from across the country such as kabuli pulao, haleem and halwa puri was served to visitors while they enjoyed live performances from local musicians. A series of activities were planned for children such as face-painting and magic shows.

The event was inaugurated by PC Peshawar General Manager Sheharyar Mirza. Speaking on the occasion, he said the festival was aimed at promoting a soft image of the city.

Mirza voiced his concern over how the surge in militancy and unrest shaped perception of the province. Incidentally, the hotel had also fallen prey to a militant attack in 2009.

The general manager hoped such events would challenge these negative perceptions, the press release added. Mirza also pledged to organise more events to provide people with the opportunity to celebrate their culture.

The initiative received widespread appreciation from the general public.

“Given the present scenario, such programmes offer a breath of fresh air for the people for Peshawar,” said Dr Uzma, who attended the first day of the festival, which will conclude on Sunday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2014.