Arts Council Karachi Announces World Culture Festival 2025 with Participation from 141 Countries

Maryam Khan

Karachi: The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi (ACPKHI) announced the World Culture Festival 2025, set to begin on October 30 and continue until December 7, marking one of the largest multicultural gatherings in the world with participation from 141 countries.

The announcement was made during a press conference at Haseena Moin Hall, led by Arts Council President Mohammad Ahmed Shah and Sindh Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah.

President Ahmed Shah revealed that this year’s edition will bring together artists from across six continents — including 37 countries from Africa, 41 from Asia, 36 from Europe, 11 from South America, 13 from North America, and 3 from Oceania. The festival will feature 45 theatre performances, 60 music shows, 25 dance performances, six art exhibitions, 25 training sessions, and 15 talks.

Over 1,000 local and international artists will participate, with a diverse program spanning live performances, film screenings, and workshops. Renowned names such as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Akbar Khamiso Khan, Mai Dhai, Sanam Marvi, and Akhtar Chanal will perform at the festival.

Ahmed Shah described the World Culture Festival as “a message of peace and coexistence” from Pakistan to the world.

“Through this festival, Pakistan will show that it is a peace-loving nation. Karachi will become the nucleus of world culture, where art, dialogue, and diversity unite people,” he said.

He also shared that the festival had received an unprecedented 2,800 film submissions from around the globe, including from Israel and India.

“Despite political divides, we believe artists should not be blamed for their governments’ actions,” he said, referring to ongoing global conflicts and humanitarian crises.

The Arts Council president praised the Sindh government’s continued support, particularly acknowledging Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah for his dedication to promoting art and literature.

“We finally have a culture minister who genuinely supports artists and writers,” he said.

Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah said the expansion from 42 countries last year to 141 this year reflects Pakistan’s growing cultural presence worldwide.

“Cultural activities never stop in Karachi. The Arts Council carries forward Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s message of love and peace. Art unites people and erases hatred,” he remarked.

He emphasized that the Sindh government is fully supporting the event, which will also showcase Sindh’s rich heritage to international visitors.

The World Culture Festival will include an Images Festival, environmental awareness workshops, and daily film screenings at 4 PM featuring short and feature-length films. Most events will be open to the public, allowing Karachi residents and visitors to experience a vibrant celebration of global cultures.

Participating nations include Syria, Italy, Egypt, Japan, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Bangladesh, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Canada, Türkiye, Iran, Palestine, India, and over 120 others, making it one of the most diverse cultural events in Pakistan’s history.