Preparations for the third World Culture Festival are in full swing in Karachi, with artists and participants from more than 100 countries set to take part in the international cultural event. The festival, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, is scheduled to begin on October 29, with cultural performances and activities planned throughout the event.
Sindh Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah visited the Arts Council Karachi to review preparations for the festival. During his visit, he met Arts Council President Ahmed Shah and discussed arrangements and various cultural activities planned for the event.
Speaking to the media, Zulfiqar Ali Shah expressed confidence that the third edition of the World Culture Festival would break all previous records for popularity.
Ahmed Shah also highlighted the growing public interest in the festival, saying that people across the country were showing tremendous enthusiasm for the event. With artists from around the world converging on Karachi, preparations for the festival have entered their final stages, with organisers expecting a large turnout. Around 1,000 international artists and more than 500 Pakistani artists are expected to participate in different programmes at the third World Culture Festival in Karachi.
Arts Council President Ahmed Shah said the festival was not confined to music or theatre but would bring together a wide range of art and cultural forms on a single platform. “Major festivals around the world are often dedicated to specific forms of art, such as music, dance or film. The World Culture Festival, however, brings multiple art forms together in one place,” he said.
Shah said the festival was also an initiative of cultural diplomacy aimed at countering misconceptions about Pakistan, Sindh and Karachi by providing international artists and delegates with an opportunity to experience the country and its cultural life firsthand.
He said artists and delegates were being invited to Pakistan so they could witness the country’s culture themselves and return home with a positive impression of Pakistan.
Recalling last year’s festival, Shah said artists from 144 countries participated in the event, while residents of Karachi warmly welcomed the international guests and even invited some of them into their homes.
Around 20 government departments have supported the festival, while the Sindh government, Culture Department and other relevant institutions are also playing an active role in its organisation. According to Shah, the festival’s primary objective is to bring people closer through culture and promote a message of peace and harmony.
Despite ongoing conflicts in different parts of the world, artists from six continents, including the United States, Iran, Iraq, Palestine and Latin America, will participate in the festival.