ISLAMABAD: In its ongoing efforts to document, preserve and project Pakistan’s indigenous folk culture and traditional heritage, Lok Virsa had planned a four-day Balochistan cultural festival in the capital.

The festival will start on April 30. Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid Javaid informed mediapersons that the event would open at Lok Virsa Complex with an imposing inaugural ceremony and be graced with high ranking officials.

The aim of holding the festival was to explore various facets of Balochi culture, pave way for documentation, research and preservation of arts, crafts, folk music and promote rich cultural heritage of the largest province of Pakistan in terms of area, he said.

The festival would serve to disseminate the dynamic creativity across the country and give rural folk a pride in their identity, Lok Virsa ED added.

The central focus of the festival would be Balochistan and the direct beneficiaries of this event would be the artisans, folk artists, rural musicians and other performers from different areas and remote regions of the province.

“The main attractions at the festival will include an artistically designed Balochi pavilion depicting culture and traditional cuisine, artisans-at-work exhibition, folkloric song and dance ensembles, rural musicians, musical nights/cultural evenings with outstanding singers and performers, stalls by public organisations and NGOs and an exotic craft bazaar,” he said.

Recently, Lok Virsa had opened two Children’s Folklore Societies in Sibi, one of the remotest areas of Balochistan, with a view to make school children aware of their indigenous folklore and cultural heritage. Previously, a three-dimensional cultural diorama portraying nomadic life of the Balochi people was created at the Heritage Museum.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/25/2010