Terming literature as a strong metaphor in bringing nations closer to each other, Ambassador Masood Khan has said that “literature correlative connected the people of Pakistan and the United States.”
In his remarks during opening ceremony of Lahore Literary Festival, being held in New York today by the Asia Society, the Ambassador said that the festival would be instrumental in providing stimulus to promoting people-to-people relations between Pakistan and the United States.
Pakistan, he said, was often looked at through the prism of politics and strategic paradigms. But beyond these two sets of images, Pakistan is a custodian of strong and diverse literary traditions, he continued.
Congratulating Asia Society for organizing Lahore Literary Festival and connecting countries with North America and particularly with the United States, Ambassador Masood Khan said that the Society was making seminal contribution to bringing people together.
“These efforts are not influenced by governments, directly or indirectly. Your efforts and the efforts of these festivals are people driven,” he observed.
Earlier Rachel Cooper, Director of Global Performing Arts and Cultural Initiatives, in her remarks termed the festival as an effective medium of soft diplomacy. She said that Lahore Literary Festival not only reflected creativity of Pakistan but also projected the country as leader in bringing people together.
Ambassador Masood Khan suggested that Asia Society may consider forging a strong partnership with the UN for greater outreach and impact of its endeavors.
Talking about efforts to promote people to people contacts between Pakistan and the United States, Ambassador Khan said the two countries were also working closely for promoting cultural ties besides working on other issues of shared concern including climate change, renewable energy and others.
“This is a powerful current which we must capture and integrate into our diplomatic activities, not to patronize it; not to steer it, but to benefit from its rich ambiance,” he said.
The Ambassador concluded his remarks by stating that strong partnership between Pakistan and the United States would turn into a common good not only for the people of the two countries but for the entire international community.
New York, May 20, 2023
