Islamabad: On 11th February 2022 “Orange Festival” was held at Zaildar House, Taxila. It was organized by the Center for Global &Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad and Zaildar House, Taxila in collaboration with the Office of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps & Office of the Dean of COSA.
The festival invited the Diplomatic community of Pakistan to introduce them to the culture, history, and traditions of Taxila. It also aimed to promote the positive image of Pakistan.
Chief Guest of the occasion His Excellency Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister of Pakistan stated that activities like the orange festival are an excellent way to bring together the diplomatic community closer to the culture, history, and people of Pakistan. He highlighted that Pakistan desires to have cordial and friendly ties with other countries and we strive to strengthen our diplomatic relations. He also mentioned that the key to increasing bilateral ties is to know the people of a country and that is the purpose being served through initiatives like Orange Festival. He also stated that the Government of Pakistan is working towards promoting tourism in the country as Pakistan has a lot to offer and showcase.
His Excellency AtadjanMovlamov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps stated that we are witnessing the hospitality, culture and beauty of Pakistan today at Taxila. He expressed his gratitude to Zaildar House and CGSS for organizing such activities for the Diplomatic community of Pakistan.
Mr. Zaildar Ahsanh Shah, Member Advisory Board, CGSS. He stated that this festival is organizedto bring together diplomats in a friendly environment. He said that we should move forward by celebrating our differences and similarities.
The festival included traditional and cultural activities like horse dancing, stone lifting, and Qawali as well. Diplomats enjoyed fresh oranges, traditional Pakistani street food, and other activities as well.
The festival was moderated by Ms. Maryam Raza, Research Executive, CGSS. It proved to be an opportunity for the diplomatic community to get familiarized with the culture, traditions, and soft side of Pakistan.
It was a colorful display of Taxila’s most famous cultural aspects and it was attended by ambassadors and diplomats from more than 50 countries. –PR
