New York (TDI): A landmark cultural exhibition, featuring 39 rare artifacts from the Gandhara and Indus Valley civilizations—recovered and being repatriated to Pakistan through the efforts of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit– was organized at Pakistan house in New York on Thursday.
Titled “Whispers from Gandhara – Showcase of Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan”, the exhibition was jointly held by the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), in collaboration with the Office of the Manhattan District Attorney.
The artifacts were handed over by Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, Chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit, and received by Consul General Aamir Ahmed Atozai, who expressed his gratitude for Bogdanos’s efforts in recovering the stolen treasures.
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad delivered the closing remarks.
The event was attended by a number of diplomats belonging to different UN Missions, officers and staff members of the Pakistan Mission and Consulate General, US officials, including representatives from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Mayor of New York alongside notable business leaders and members of the Pakistani-American community.
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Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, in her special video message, underlined Pakistan’s firm commitment to the protection of cultural heritage and acknowledged US officials for their role in the recovery of artifacts.
The evolution of Gandahara as a crossroads of civilizations was further illustrated thtrough a documentary and a presentation.
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In his closing remarks, Ambassador Iftikhar stated that Gandhara was not merely an ancient civilization; it was a major example of the values of peace, tolerance, and dialogue that have long been respected in the region.
As a major center of Buddhist art and learning, Gandhara emerged as a beacon of cultural synthesis, where East met West, and spiritual traditions blended seamlessly with artistic expression, he added.
