Richness of Pakistani art & culture thrills US and other nationals alike
Elegance and the beauty of Pakistani culture, exhibited through world-acclaimed ‘Pakistani Truck art’, traditional clothes, precious gems, art and artifacts, furniture, rugs and carpets and delectable cuisine left the visitors with an unforgettable experience of Passport DC’s annual “Around the Embassy Tour” program.
Over three thousand visitors including US citizens, Pak-American community, diplomatic corps, officials, think-tank community, non-governmental bodies, media persons, men, women, children and teen-agers thronged the Embassy of Pakistan Washington to appreciate the richness and diversity of Pakistani culture. Held annually in May, the month of International Cultural Awareness, Passport DC is a month-long journey around the world highlighting DC’s thriving international diplomatic community and its lively and varied culture. The event at the Embassy of Pakistan Washington commenced even before its scheduled time and continued till 1600 hours with continued arrival and enthusiastic participation of the inquisitive visitors. Various corners of jam-packed ground floor and the Jamshed Marker Hall of the Embassy exhibited soft power of the country and remained center of attraction of the visitor in the back drop of instrumental Pakistani music.
The stalls included traditional and non-traditional stitched and unstitched designer clothes and bridal dresses, gems and jewelry, hand-knotted rugs and carpets, Chinioti furniture, artifacts and paintings, music instruments, footwear (Peshawari Chappal) and different spices that are known for adding unique taste and aroma to Pakistani cuisine. Along with the traditional products, the booming IT sector was also on display reflecting immense youth potential of the country in providing innovative digital IT solutions to the expanding businesses across the globe. The American visitors queued at henna stall to have their hand painted. ‘Food Taste Corner’ and the ‘Tea Stall’ with its mesmerizing aroma attracted residents of Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland and the adjoining states. Truck Art of Pakistan, painted over a ‘Rickshaw’ and a Scooter, enthralled the visitors with ‘selfies’ and ‘stories.’
Ambassador Masood Khan thanked the visitors for their enthusiastic participation. He remained with the visitors for 04 hours and went from stall to stall, introducing Pakistani specialties to the visitors. Witnessing huge interest of the visitors in knowing Pakistan and its culture, the Ambassador highlighted salient features of the country that make Pakistan an ideal destination for economic activity, investment as well as tourism. Likewise, the spouse of the Ambassador and the officers of the Embassy were also deeply involved in welcoming the guests and introducing them to richness of Pakistani art and culture. The guests, during their interaction, thanked the Ambassador and the Embassy of Pakistan, for opening doors of Embassy for them and providing them with the opportunity to experience rich cultural diversity and potential of the country. Terming it a ‘fabulous experience’, the visitors observed that fascinating cultural beauty of Pakistan has stimulated their aspiration to visit the country and enrich their experience even further.
Editor: Raja Kamran