Cultural Caravan on CPEC route to strengthen region’s economic, cultural connectivity: DG PNCA

ISLAMABAD, June 11 (APP): Pakistan and China will embark upon Cultural Caravan-a month long voyage, traversing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with an objective to showcase soft image, rich culture and trade potential of the region.
“The Cultural Caravan will play a key role in promoting regional and
cultural connectivity,” Director General Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Syed Jamal Shah said while talking to APP in an exclusive interview here Sunday.
Highlighting importance of the Caravan in exploring cultural diversity
of the two brotherly countries, he said the game-changer CPEC would not only unleash economic and cultural dividends but also help discover and foster cultural heritage, ancient Silk route has been preserving for centuries.
He said Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National
Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb along with Chinese Minister for Culture would formally launch the Cultural Caravan from Urumqi (China) in August this year.
The 60-member troupe comprising Chinese and Pakistani artists,
musicians, dancers, photographers, anthropologists, writers and filmmakers riding on 15 fully equipped vehicles would reach Gwadar, the calumniating point in Pakistan, traversing the CPEC and documenting art and culture enroute in 30 days.
He said Caravan would pass through Athushi, Thumshuk, Shulay, Shefu, Akto and Tashgul in China, and camp at important nodal cities along the CPEC route starting from Gilgit and moving to Peshawar, Lahore, Multan, Dera Ismail Khan, Quetta, Sukkur, Karachi and Gwadar.
During the one-off cultural odyssey, Jamal Shah said, the Caravan
would have 15 stopovers at different sites on its route where the group members would interact with locals and incorporate their ideas in their productions, to be exhibited at the grand culmination celebrations.
Terming the journey as unique creative event, he said the filmmakers
would record important aspects of cultures and communities, while artists would paint the diverse landscape and culture along the route.
Musicians and dancers would collaborate with local artists and present
their performances, whereas photographers would expose the life and culture.
Writers would transform their experiences in creative writings and
anthropologists would not only document the route from their angle but also engage rest of the team in informative discourse about the life and culture of the people living along the CPEC route.
Further elaborating, the PNCA DG said a series of grand exhibitions
would take place in Islamabad with all provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan showcasing projects on the eve of 70th Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan.
He said Post Caravan art exhibitions would be organized at national
level to project the paintings, drawings and art work produced by artists.
Besides, a series of books and research reports would be part of the
Caravan to document, preserve and promote the cultural and artistic expressions of the diverse communities around the Silk Route/CPEC, which would be published at the culmination.
The PNCA DG stated professional photographers would exhibit their
artwork they would capture during the journey, while ideas for music and dance performances would also be bequeathed in different cities.
He said PNCA would host an international academic seminar on the
history, culture and current relevance of historic Silk Route in Asia.
Besides a series of short films and documentaries by filmmakers each
dedicated to one of the city/Caravanserai on the CPEC route, would be screened, showing historical background, contemporary relevance, culture, history, tourist attractions and monuments.