Islamabad, 1 June 2022 (TDI): The first project of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) cluster Pakistan held a 4-hour live musical festival meant to preserve Pakistan’s musical heritage.
The musical festival was carried out together with Heritage Live, Face in Pakistan, LokVirsa, and musicians from various countries.
Of the musicians involved, 50% were women from Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, and also Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
1st project of EUNIC cluster🇵🇰 & wonderful results with @heritage_live + inspiring residencies @faceinpakistan culminating in 4 hrs live Music Festival @LokVirsa #Islamabad with musicians (50% woman) from 🇦🇹🇧🇬🇨🇿🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇵🇱🇷🇴+🇵🇰&🇦🇫 helping preserve 🇵🇰 musical heritage! @EUNIC_Global https://t.co/eGqYavN7G6 pic.twitter.com/jkS3UqEAb9
— Nicolaus Keller (@nicolauskeller) May 31, 2022
EUNIC
EU National Institutes for Culture is a European network that includes organizations engaging in cultural relations.
In line with this, EUNIC and its partners bring to life European cultural collaboration in over 100 countries throughout the world. Together with a network of 133 clusters, based on the wide experience of its members from all of the EU Member States and associate countries.
Most importantly, EUNIC is a strategic partner of the EU. It advocates an eminent role of culture in international relations and actively defines European cultural policy.
Accordingly, it is a platform for the sharing of knowledge and for capacity building among its members and partners.
By using culture, EUNIC tries to build trust and understanding between the people of Europe and the wider world and work to make culture significant in international relations.
Hence, it aims to build partnerships through practicing mutual listening, learning, engaging in dialogue, co-creation, and joint capacity-building.
Thereby, the purposes of EUNIC include working together, promoting cultural diversity and understanding, and strengthening international dialogue and cultural cooperation.
Together with being a partner of the EU in defining and implementing EU cultural policy, advocating for the value of cultural relations as well as arguing for a strong independent voice for the cultural sector, conducting research, and sharing best practices.
Members of EUNIC join together in 133 clusters in 103 countries throughout the world. For instance, clusters are the network’s branches that are established where a minimum of three EUNIC members are represented.
Consequently, clusters engage in cultural relations as well as in co-creating activities with partner organizations.
EU–Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP)
Both sides have reaffirmed their determination in strengthening broad-based partnership for peace, development, and prosperity further. Therefore, the two sides mutually agreed in strengthening cooperation in various areas including culture.
Regarding culture, they agreed to create opportunities for greater engagement of youth in understanding each other’s heritage and culture. Specifically through heightening people-to-people contacts as well as mobility.
Also, the promotion of culture as a development enabler facilitates social inclusion, raising policy dialogue, and cultural cooperation.
Above all, they agreed to support joint projects between the EU and Pakistani artists and creative professionals in different fields. Last year, the EU organized a film festival in Pakistan.
