More than 8,500 performers from 20 different countries including Pakistan have taken part in London’s New Year’s Day Parade.
The Pakistan High Commission London marched through the streets of the British capital in the annual parade for the first time.
Despite a rainy start to 2017 in London, thousands of people hit the streets to watch the parade. Dancers, acrobats, vintage cars and cheerleaders, along with the city’s Lord Mayor, flooded the streets for the event.
The parade, from Green Park to Parliament Square, was broadcast on 600 TV stations across the world.
About 50,000 spectators were expected to watch the free event which had a film theme this year.
The High Commissioner Syed Ibne Abbas invited the UK’s Pakistani community to participate in the parade that aimed to show the diversity of culture and people in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s participation in the event was part of the events planned by the High Commission to celebrate the 70th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan throughout the year 2017.
The colourful event won praise from the revellers lining the streets but without any doubt, it was Pakistani music, dancing horses, dhol, Dil Dil Pakistan, Qawaali and cultural dances of Pakistanis that won the loudest praise throughout on the parade route.
The Pakistan segment featured horse dance, drum beating, regional music, colourful dresses, Kalash dance, Qawwali performance and much more. At the grand finale, the Pakistani performers enthralled the spectators with their music, dance, dresses, horse dance on drum beats and Qawwali performance. Pakistani souvenirs were also distributed among the spectators along the route that cheered the atmosphere of the parade.
Speaking to this scribe, Syed Ibne Abbas said: “We decided to take part in the London New Year’s Day Parade (LNYDP) to showcase Pakistan’s actual vibrant image to over half a million people who turned out to watch the parade. This was a historic opportunity for us to present Pakistan in a positive light.
“This is the first time ever that the High Commission participated in the LNYDP. The High Commission has endeavoured to showcase the beauty and diversity of our culture and people at the parade which will be watched by 0.5 million viewers and telecast live on 300 television channels across the globe. Participation in the parade is the prelude to a series of events planned by the High Commission to celebrate the 70th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan throughout the year 2017.”
The high commissioner hoped that tourism to Pakistan will increase as a result of this participation as “it was clear that people from all over the world liked the Pakistani contingent and praised the colours of Pakistan.”
The event, which is in its 31st year, was originally created by Bob Bone and his wife Geri after they had wanted to take their children out on New Year’s Day and found most museums, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and shops were closed.
Dan Kirkby, communications director for the event, said it was a very “cosmopolitan event,” BBC reported.