Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association (PFOWA)’s Annual Charity Bazaar returned with the intriguing “Mosaic of Global Cultures”—an extravaganza of cultural performances, native costumes and music, display of art and crafts and food delicacies from around the world.
The PFOWA on Sunday hosted the event in collaboration with the diplomatic missions based in Islamabad to promote deeper social and cultural understanding and fostering friendship. Ambassadors, government officials and people from all walks of life attended the funfair in high number. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar inaugurated the Bazaar as the chief guest.
Addressing the occasion, the chief guest highly commended PFOWA’s philanthropic activities, its cultural interface and social outreach. She admired the foreign missions for brining the cultural heritage and other aspects of their respective countries together at the event, reassuring their solidarity. Earlier, speaking on the occasion, PFOWA President Taranum Bashir highlighted organisation’s aims and objectives, its profile and future plans and projects.
The inaugural ceremony preceded a fabulous cultural show. Diplomats attired in their national distinctive costumes presented their traditional dances, expressing the richness of their respective culture’s unique attributes. The performances included diplomats from Nepal, Mayanmar, Indonesia Palestine, Russia and China. However, Indonesian dance, led by the spouse of the Indonesian Ambassador Butar Latuconsina remained the most enthralling part of the show.
The “Lesno” dance was the exclusive one as Butar Latuconsina during the performance walked up to the chief guest, Hina Rabbani Khar, in a stylised and elegant manner and adorned her with “Uwsigara”, a long head scarf from Indonesia, amid a cheering crowd.
The presentation of “Uwsigara”, symbolised the feelings of honor, warmth and friendship between the two countries. While the jubilant audience put their hands together for the excellent singing of “Dil Dil Pakistan” by Nanik Anwar of the Indonesian Embassy.
At the annual bazaar, the participating embassies had also set up their stalls showcasing a range of handicrafts. Hina Rabbani Khar accompanied by other dignitaries visited the stalls. She showed keen interest in the handicrafts items and appreciated the cooperation extended by the embazssies in making the event a great success. The venue had an aura of festivity as the visitors brimming with excitement and curiosity thronged the stalls and had a good time buying a variety of items put on sale at very reasonable rates.
The “International Food Court” was another major feature of the event where the air was filled with the aroma of exotic tantalizing food delights available at the stalls set up by the embassies offering food lovers a great choice of Indonesian, Middle Eastern, African, European, Indian, Chinese, Russian Thai and many other countries food to relish all in one place. The funfair concluded with the raffle results and auction with proceeds donated to the PFOWA charity fund.
PFOWA’s Charity Bazaar holds diplomatic gala
