Islamabad:
The Gandhara Cultural Festival gave life to the old inheritance of Pakistan, celebrating the legacy of Gandhara’s civilization while promoting ecotourism.
The Festival presented a great exhibition of Gandhara artifacts, which includes sculptures, coins, ceramics, paintings and photography exhibitions. The visitors explored the artistic and historical importance of Gandhara’s rich legacy, obtaining information on their cultural and historical impact.
The event, followed by the great launch of the project “that promotes the civilization and heritage of Gandhara for ecotourism”, marked a significant step to preserve the historical treasures of Pakistan and increase tourism.
One of the main attractions was a Hindu community corner, where visitors were captivated by devotional Bhajans made with traditional musical instruments, symbolizing interreligious harmony.
The event was organized by Kurrum Welfare Houses and the Pakistan Poverty Relief Fund (PPAF), in collaboration with the National Council of the Arts of Pakistan (PNCA), the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), the program Youth of the Prime Minister (PMyP), and in PNCA on Wednesday. The parliamentary secretary, Farah Naz Akbar inaugurated the festival, praising the initiative of its role in promoting cultural tourism and unity between various communities.
“It is encouraging to see that the positions of seven different cultural communities are part of this festival, which shows the rich and diverse inheritance of Pakistan,” he said. He also highlighted the “Uraan Pakistan” initiative of the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose objective is to boost national progress through cultural and economic growth.
The CEO of PPAF, Nadir Gul, emphasized the organization’s commitment to poverty relief in 150 districts, providing opportunities for livelihoods to people of all origins. He highlighted the initiatives of PPAF in Chitral and Baluchistan, focusing on education, health and cultural preservation.
The managing director of PTDC, Rana Aftab, stressed the global importance of Gandhara’s inheritance in Peshawar, Swat and Taxila Valley. He pointed out that more than 500 million Buddhists worldwide consider this sacred region, which makes it a main destination for religious tourism.
