German embassy celebrates with virtual concert

Islamabad : Germany celebrated the 30th anniversary of German reunification, a major event in German history, on Saturday. Because of COVID-19 restrictions the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Islamabad and the German Consulate General in Karachi decided to celebrate by going online and hosted a virtual concert with famous Pakistani singer Zoe Viccaji, which was be streamed on the Embassy’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The social media platforms were used and everyone was cordially invited to join the virtual celebrations! In a statement Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck and Consul General Holger Ziegeler underlined: “Celebrating the 30th anniversary of German unity is a very special moment for Germans. Just like German reunification would not have been possible without the support of Germany’s international partners, we will only be able to overcome the consequences of the pandemic by working together effectively as an international community. Germany and Pakistan will continue their long-standing and trustful cooperation.”

The concert began with Zoe introducing herself and the members of her band, then singing a song titled ‘Winds of Change,’ which was well suited to the occasion. She followed up with a few of her very popular numbers from Coke Studio and her repertoire. Short clips about the Berlin Wall; the German Foreign Ministers visit to Pakistan and the iconic buildings of Germany were also shown to viewers as she sang. During the concert the comments on social kept coming in with some pressing the ‘like’ button; others congratulating the embassy members on the occasion and occasionally there were remarks about how the usual celebrations at the embassy, which were always enjoyable, were being missed – probably by those who had attended them in years gone by!

Apart from this, in order to share their joy about German reunification and as a signal of German-Pakistani friendship, the embassy donated food packages to needy families of different communities in and around Islamabad in the course of the week leading up to German national day. Pakistan and Germany have close and multifaceted bilateral relations. Next year, both countries will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. With a volume of 120 million Euros for development cooperation and 6.1 million for humanitarian aid, Germany stood by the people of Pakistan in these difficult pandemic times and will continue to do so.