ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China will embark upon Cultural Caravan next month on CPEC route to strengthen region’s economic, cultural connectivity, showcase soft image and trade potential of the region.
This will be in line with the two countries’ renewed pledge to deepen their people-to-people ties at all levels. The cultural caravan will be a follow up of CPEC. This will lead to build up a cultural corridor, an official of the Cultural Ministry said here Saturday.
The convoy is expected to be formally launched from Urumqi (China). 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 in 30 days from Urumqi.
It 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,.
The Cultural 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.
The selected Chinese and Pakistani artists, musicians, photographers, anthropologists, writers and filmmakers riding on 15 fully equipped vehicles would reach Gwadar, the culminating point in Pakistan, traversing the CPEC and documenting art and culture en- route in 30 days. Chinese and Pakistani artists, eight from each country, will travel in a cultural caravan in three segments of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), each segment spanning a maximum of ten days’ duration. Its visionary transformation into CPEC will be seen as the most powerful engine of change, development, progress and economic turnaround for the entire region. According to schedule the first segment will undertake the Western Passage covering route from Peshawar to Gwadar.
The second segment will take the Eastern Passage from Karachi to Islamabad while also taking detour between Eastern Western and Central Passages. The third segment will cover Northern Passage starting from Kashgar and culminating at Islamabad.
Timings of the three segments of the caravan will be decided keeping climatic and other factors in mind. The film makers will have all their equipment including editing systems with them so they can continue editing their films and also engage local talent in the process of filming and editing.
The painters and photographers will be encouraged to engage with local enthusiasts in creative processes by sharing their knowledge and skills with them and also letting them to take pictures and paint images. The musicians will not only document local folk music but also perform at different places and interact with local musicians. INP
