Indonesian Cultural: Troupe enthrals audiences

The Indonesian Cultural Troupe made a spellbinding singings and dances performances at the National Art Gallery on Saturday. The performance was a yet another event of the series that features the multifaceted Indonesian Cultural Week being organised in collaboration with Pakistan National Council of the Arts to further expand and promote the glorious social-cultural bonds between Indonesia and Pakistan.
The troupe dancers attired in Indonesian colourful traditional costumes presented highly stylised and expressive Indonesian dance performances that Included Renggong Manis Dance, Zara Zapin Dance, Jaipongan Bajidor Kahot Dance, Nandak Ganjen Dance and Saman Dance depicting the richness and uniqueness of Indonesian culture. While there were also performances of Pakistani dances that created a strong sense of harmony between the two brotherly countries.
Moreover, the lead vocalist of the troupe also made impressive singing performances of Indonesian, Pakistani and English songs and enthralled the audience. Another interesting feature of the night was a fabulous batik fashion show during which models exhibited a variety of batik dresses designed by the visiting fashion designer for the great attraction and interest of the ladies.
Earlier, the Cultural Night started off with the National anthems of the two countries after the chief guest Minister for Interior Rehman A Malik arrived, who later joined the Ambassador and inaugurated the Cultural Show. The Federal Minister said that Pakistan greatly values its excellent relationship with Indonesia, which has historical and fraternal roots. The Minister highly commended the initiative taken by the Embassy and said that cultural week will provide an opportunity to the people of Pakistan to learn and understand the culture and people of Indonesia. He underscored the need for frequent cultural exchange programs to promote people to people network between the two countries.
Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Ishak Latuconsina said that Indonesia has the chair of ASEAN this year and therefore, the cultural night is the part our efforts to fulfil the ASEAN common commitment to build, develop and promote the "diversity in unity" of the ASEAN cultures for promoting cultural diversity among the friendly countries.
It is equally aimed at showing our brothers and sisters in Pakistan, who have not yet travelled to Indonesia, the high level of socio-cultural affinities that have characterised relations between Indonesian and Pakistani peoples, he added.
The Ambassador called for cultural and academic exchanges on reciprocal basis to know more about each other country. Earlier, in the morning, Indonesian Batik workshop and Exhibition was also Inaugurated by the Indonesian envoy Ishak Latuconsina and Director General Pakistan National Council of Arts Tauqeer Ahmad Nasir.
The students from Iqra University and Fatima Jiannah University are taking part at workshop, which offers them a rare opportunity to learn the centuries old exclusive and exquisite finest Indonesian art of Batik Printing direct from the renowned Batik Maestros present at this workshop to enhance and inspire their creative skills.
Tauqeer Nasir said that Pakistan and Indonesia enjoys very warm and cordial relations rooted in the shared history and values, adding that PNCA encourages such exchange programmes to further foster cultural linkages with the brotherly countries.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Samina Qadir Agha, Dean Iqra University Dr Jamil Ahmad and Director Roots Schools System Khadija Mushtaq also spoke on the occasion and expressed their pleasure for being part of the Cultural Week. A collection of beautifully stylised batik products ranging from textile to value added products has also been put on display reflecting that batik is not only an art from or tradition but clearly a way of life in Indonesia.-PR