KARACHI: The 25-day Third World Culture Festival Karachi 2026, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, will officially open today, October 30, with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurating the festival. Addressing a press conference ahead of the event, Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah and Provincial Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah briefed the media on the festival’s objectives and programme. International artists also attended the briefing.
Muhammad Ahmed Shah said the festival was not about setting records but about conveying a message of peace, equality, love and cultural harmony to the world. He said the festival had played a significant role over the past two years in placing Pakistan more prominently on the global cultural map. This year, around 1,000 artists from 150 countries will participate, alongside artists representing all provinces of Pakistan, showcasing the country’s cultural diversity from the Himalayan mountain region to the coast of Gwadar.
Pakistani and international artists will also present collaborative performances, providing young students of the Arts Council with opportunities to work alongside artists from around the world. He emphasised that all human beings were equal and that discrimination based on colour, race, caste, religion or gender was unacceptable.
The festival seeks to provide equal opportunities to artists regardless of their nationality or socioeconomic background. Despite racial discrimination and government-imposed restrictions in some countries, artists are travelling to Pakistan to participate. Financial assistance is also arranged for international artists facing limited resources. This year, 80 to 85 per cent of the participating artists are new, including dancers, musicians, theatre artists, filmmakers, directors, painters and sculptors. Efforts are also being made to include artists with special needs.
The Arts Council president said that 97 to 98 per cent of the festival’s activities would be free to the public, with online registration available for attendance. Registration may be restricted once venue capacity is reached, and additional arrangements are being made to accommodate the growing public interest. The 25-day festival will feature a wide range of cultural activities, including art exhibitions, mega concerts, theatre, music and dance performances. He said internationally acclaimed pianists, Spanish flamenco performers, artists from the British Royal Ballet, approximately 70 performers from two Russian dance groups, and Tajikistan’s presidential orchestra would take part in the festival. Artists from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and several African countries are also arriving in Karachi.
Five groups from Spain are scheduled to participate; however, the Spanish ambassador will be unable to attend due to three days of mourning following a train accident in Spain. Muhammad Ahmed Shah further announced that a group of Iranian-origin artists would present Layla Majnun on October 31. Most of the performers are based in France, the United Kingdom and other countries.
The festival will introduce audiences to centuries-old musical traditions and artistic practices from different parts of the world, alongside new creative experiences. He noted that Pakistan had its own distinctive qawwali tradition, while other countries also possessed rich musical heritage. He added that the Arts Council was providing opportunities for artists and students through international scholarships and residency programmes.
Discussions on cultural cooperation were also under way with Guinness World Records, Art Paris and the European Union. Efforts were being made to explore joint cultural activities with all 27 EU member states. Highlighting the broader role of culture, Shah said artists played an important role in society and that culture brought people closer together. He noted that artists associated with major Indian film productions were also interested in visiting Pakistan but remained hesitant because of fear.
He said every artist at the festival would receive equal importance and protocol, regardless of their financial circumstances. Foolproof security arrangements had been made at all festival venues, with the police, specialised security units, civil and military intelligence agencies, and other relevant institutions working together. He added that the Arts Council team was working day and night to ensure the festival’s success, with the media, the Sindh government and the Arts Council collaborating to make the event a success.
Provincial Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah welcomed the participating artists from around the world, saying that artists transcended language barriers and conveyed a universal message of peace and love. He called for visa restrictions on artists to be lifted worldwide so they could travel freely and share their work internationally. He described the participation of more than 1,000 artists and attendees as encouraging and credited Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah’s commitment and efforts for bringing artists from across the world together under one roof.
The minister said international artists visiting Pakistan were experiencing the country’s culture, hospitality and historical heritage firsthand. Arrangements had been made for them to visit Karachi’s historic landmarks, cultural sites and coastal areas, as well as sample local cuisine. These experiences, he said, would help promote Pakistan’s positive image internationally and challenge negative perceptions about the country.
Expressing gratitude to the media for its extensive coverage, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah reaffirmed that the Sindh government stood shoulder to shoulder with the Arts Council and would continue supporting initiatives to promote culture. He said the festival would showcase the cultural diversity of all Pakistani provinces. A special Mehran Night would be held for local singers, featuring a local female artist whose photograph was displayed in New York’s Times Square, along with Raja Faqir and performers from different regions.
Each night of the festival would highlight the arts and cultural traditions of different provinces, ensuring representation from across the country, including Mehran and Balochistan. In the end of press conference a memoranda of understanding on cultural exchange had been signed between the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi and Ecuador and Mexico. Under these agreements, artists from the respective countries would have opportunities to perform and teach their art in one another’s countries, while Pakistani students and artists could also participate in cultural and artistic activities abroad.
Similar cultural agreements had already been signed with the United Kingdom and France and Latin America. As part of the festival’s activities, Ecuadorian group Away Runakuna conducted a dance workshop, introducing participants to distinctive dance styles and techniques. French hip-hop dance group Zigzag and Cie Alexandra N’ Possee subsequently delivered a performance that drew appreciation from the audience. The festival’s opening-day programme also featured a Qawwali Night, where renowned qawwal Hamza Akram performed alongside his group, captivating the audience with traditional qawwali. Thousands of spectators attended the performance and warmly applauded the artists.
