Pakistan must continue to create artists who make the country proud at the global level. Pakistan Peoples Party Women President Faryal Talpur said this as she inaugurated the International Art Exhibition Volume 6 at the Arts Council of Pakistan on the 34th day of the World Culture Festival 2025.
ACP President Ahmed Shah, Sindh Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Labour & Human Resources Minister Saeed Ghani, MPA Sohail Anwar Siyal, ACP Joint Secretary and renowned writer Noorul Huda Shah, and Women Empowerment Committee Chairperson Chand Gul Shah were also present on the occasion.
Praising the ACP for holding the World Culture Festival, Faryal said hosting such a large-scale festival was a commendable initiative. She praised the efforts of Ahmed Shah and his team, calling it an impressive and valuable contribution towards art and culture.
She also expressed gratitude to the international artists for appreciating Karachi’s hospitality and participating wholeheartedly in the festival.
The exhibition featured artworks from international artists, including King Kesia (Barbados), Luis M. Santos (Mozambique), Victoria Santos (Brazil), Adrian Bojko (Argentina), Mendricka Ratsima (Madagascar), Shambhu Achariya, Bubly Barna (Bangladesh) , Yaz (Comoros) , Sinenkosi Msomi (Eswatini), Halldor Ragnarsson (Iceland), Onesmus Okamar (Kenya), M. Reza Ferdowsi Fard (Iran), Kelechi Nwaneri (Nigeria), Adjaratou Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Domi Forest (Sweden), Sofia Maria, Aglaia Perraki (Greece), Niharkia Mumtaz, Suborna Morsheada (Bangladesh), Chifumi (Cambodia), Nasty and Seth GlobePainter (France).
Mozambican artists Luis M. Santos and Victoria Santos also showcased live Performance during the event.
The ACP president thanked Faryal for her support, stating that her presence was an honour for the Arts Council. He added that she had consistently supported the promotion of arts and culture.
Ahmed Shah highlighted that the festival comprised not one but five major sectors, and the council had received 3,500 films, of which 100 award-winning films were selected.
Faryal presented shields and bouquets to international artists while Chand presented Frayal Sindh’s traditional Ajrak as a token of respect.
Meanwhile, a diverse lineup of cultural activities took place at the festival on its 34th day, including a showcase of UAE culture, two theatre plays, music and theatre workshops, film screenings and discussions, and musical performance by Sufi Dub Brothers.
The day began with a theatre workshop by Turkish director and artist Ozlem, attended by students of the Arts Council Theatre Academy as well as children from the Indus University. Ozlem introduced participants to various aspects of acting through body movements, stating that connection was essential in performance.
During FLAVOURS OF UAE – a Culinary & Cultural Journey, the Emirati culture was showcased through traditional food stalls offering dishes such as Arabic kahwa, date tea, balaleet and lugaimat. The aroma of bukhoor filled the venue, and a traditional dance was performed using the iconic Emirati stick (asa), with participants from both Pakistan and the UAE adding energy to the celebration.
UAE Consul General Dr Bukheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi noted the longstanding ties between Pakistan and the UAE and praised the ACP for creating such an impressive cultural environment in the city.
He said that while people in the UAE are celebrating, there is also a festive atmosphere in Pakistan, including the World Culture Festival, today. The diverse flavors and aromas of Arab cuisine are being presented before the people of Karachi, he said, adding that the UAE and Pakistan share longstanding relations.
The consul general said the Arts Council of Pakistan is the only place where the world culture is being promoted.
During the film screening session, three films were shown. The documentary “Return to Nature” highlighted the devastation caused by floods and explored how Pakistan could learn from US climate policies. Spanish director Néstor López presented two films: X Polígono and Semillas de Kivu. In the post-screening discussion, directors Waqas Alam Angaria and Néstor López shared their insights.
Two theatre plays were performed: Pakistan’s ‘Dream of Ithaca’, directed by Sunil Shankar and written by Fawad Khan, and Russia’s ‘Settimana’ by Lidia Kopina’s troupe, written and directed by Tatiana Khabarova.
Settimana was an ancient-style dance-theatre performance woven around seven symbolic stories. Both plays received strong appreciation from the audience. The festival day concluded with a powerful performance by Sufi Dub Brothers, where renowned German musicians Ashraf Sharif Khan and Victor Marek electrified the crowd with energetic sitar-driven fusion music.
