CPEC Cultural Caravan off to Sust border

Islamabad :The CPEC Cultural Caravan took off Sunday from the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) to its destination Sust border in the extreme north of Pakistan adjoining the neighbouring country China.

An 18-member cultural caravan comprises 12 Pakistani and 6 Chinese artists and performers from different genres including music, dance, photography, anthropology, literature and filmmaking.

The caravan will pass and camp at important cities along the CPEC route while conducting its programme activities including filmmaking, music and dance performances and photography. The caravan also includes anthropologists and writers who will be writing about their individual experiences and documenting the cultural and creative industries along the silk route. Musical concerts, cultural dance performances will be part of the Cultural Caravan.

All these events will open and free to public at different destinations. The final culmination of the project is a grand exhibition that will take place in Islamabad. The main idea of this project is to promote cultural exchange and dialogue not only between the two countries but also within the boundaries of the country, and to promote historical Silk Route, stress it as worlds cultural heritage and show its impact on different cultures and nations; to promote economy, its achievements, its positive image as tourist attraction; to explore the impact and document influences of the ancient Silk Route in past, one the present and the future of countries and cultures of the region and to enhance the understanding of different cultures at local level.

This two-week long initiative would promote and explore the diversity within the geographical boundaries of the country, and help is mapping out the cultural boundaries and blurring of these boundaries especially at the China-GB border. Through the artistic interaction, the mega cultural showcasing would also help in recognising the commonalities and differences between cultures of both countries. Through this project, the participants would preserve and document decaying cultural heritage and dying languages; and assure to preserve indigenous knowledge and promote indigenous cultural practices besides strengthening and widening the background for the economic and trade capabilities between two countries.

The launching event of the Cultural Caravan was graced by the Minister of State for information and Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb, and the Chinese Cultural Councillor You Yi. Speaking at the launching ceremony the state minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said cultural caravan will strengthen the ties between the two countries. She added it will also strengthen and widen background for the economic and trade capabilities between two countries.

Welcoming the Chinese Artists Director General PNCA Jamal Shah said that it’s a privilege for PNCA to host and organise a cultural exchange of an international level. He encouraged the participating artists to explore the diverse indigenous cultures of Pakistan to incorporate it in to their creative outputs. The Chinese Cultural Councillor said it’s important for the artists to acknowledge the commonalities and differences between the various cultures of both the countries so as to protect and preserve the endangered cultures. He further emphasised on mapping of the cultural boundaries & blurring of these boundaries especially at the China-Pakistan border.