The United States and Pakistan often use cultural diplomacy to reach out to the people and thinking circles in both countries as they seek to amplify convergences and mutual benefits of the relationship in the face of serious ongoing difference over some strategic issues.
On Saturday, the Pakistani embassy mixed the cultural messaging with celebration of 70 years of U.S.-Pakistan relationship, a key plank in Islamabad’s foreign policy architecture.
The occasion was Passport D.C. Around the World Embassy Tour – an annual opportunity for diplomatic missions in the capital to showcase the best of their cultural representations and creative achievements.
Located in the diplomatic enclave – International Court – the Pakistani embassy remained a center of attraction for Washingtonians, as they defied rain to enjoy folk music, modern songs, and Pakistani cuisine.
“This is tremendous, I really like this music,” an American said as people danced to the tune of drumbeat, a traditional dholak, while Pakistani-Americans and native Americans performed and enjoyed songs from the four provinces of the country.
On display were also costumes, artifacts, pictures of landscapes and ornaments from the four provinces and Kashmir.
For many visitors streaming into the embassy’s transparently tented compound, the music was more than a people-to-people contact – an occasion when people from diverse American and Pakistani backgrounds, even including international visitors – appeared to strike common chord. For example, many Americans joined in singing and dancing. An American humanitarian worker Todd Shea sang a popular Pakistani national song and Agha Hasnain, a Pakistani-American who has distinctively run marathon in all 50 states of America, displayed a message of love and peace for all on his shirt.
Another feature was a colorfully decorated rickshaw displayed on the compound with a powerful message ‘Heal, Not Hate’ in a time of conflict, discrimination and xenophobia afflicting many societies.
But the overriding spirit was the celebration of 70 years of U.S.-Pakistan relationship, which despite ongoing divergences over some strategic issues in South Asia, particularly Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been productive for both countries.
“The event today coincides with the beginning of the 70th year celebration of Pakistan’s independence. Pakistan is also celebrating 70 years of friendship with the United States. We are doing so with a message of love, friendship and hope,” Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said, welcoming the visitors.
While the embassy put up an attractive show to project cultural diversity and power on Saturday, many longtime observers believe Pakistan needs to do expand such exhibitions of soft power, particularly it terms of marketing the business and trade potential.
“Pakistan has some very strong foundations both in the cultural and economic fields. But we have not been able to make full use of them. For example, Pakistan mass-produced the Brazuca football but no diplomatic mission displayed it. It could have been such a powerful example of the skills and exporting potential of the country,” says Muhammad Nasimuddin, head of the Nazu Group of companies, U.S.A.
In view of the fact that both countries have much work to do in terms of advancing understanding between their people, cultural diplomacy is likely to remain a powerful tool in search of a stronger and sustained relationship.
