Two-day Gilgit-Baltistan-Chitral festival for promoting peace, pluralism from Saturday
Two-day festival of people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Chitral for promoting peace and pluralism through culture covering their arts, crafts, literature, language and cuisine will start on Saturday.
The Culture for Peace and Pluralism festival is being organised by the Initiative for Promotion of Pamiri Arts and Culture (IPPAC) in collaboration with Capital Development Authority (CDA) on February 22 and 23 at the Open Air Theatre, Shakarparian to mark the International Mother Tongue Day.
The objective of the festival is the promotion of understanding, peace and harmony at a time when these values have suffered immensely at the hands of extremist forces and to highlight the challenges that the culture and languages of the GB and Chitral face.
Renowned poets, linguists, singers and musicians of Shina, Balti, Khowar, Brushaski and Wakhi languages from across the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral will highlight the importance of preserving and promoting indigenous cultures and languages.
There will be live performances of these arts and crafts for the residents of the twin cities, the diplomatic community and especially aficionados of remote cultures.
The festival is expected to afford a chance to GBC residents living in Rawalpindi-Islamabad and surrounding districts to revive memories of placid mountain life in the hubbub of city life. Visitors to the festival will have a taste of the exotic Pamiri cuisines and the opportunity to buy the unique products of their cottage works. On this occasion, Shina poet Zafar Waqar Taj’s new album will also be launched.
Mountain communities of the GB and Chitral regions have diverse and unique cultures that are very different from those of other Himalayan people. They are also distinct in the sense they have remained in virtual isolation due to their inaccessibility and therefore possess a pristine purity untainted by urban life of the plains.
