ISLAMABAD, May 11: Shakarparian Hills near Islamabad sometimes still take you to the freshness of a pre-Islamabad life, and the short cultural presentation organized at the Lok Virsa by the Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan Dr Emil Ghitulescu, well known in Pakistan by now for his books Dialogue between Civilizations and on Iqbal, on Saturday morning, was a case in point.

It was a presentation of some books and documentaries from his country to the Lok Virsa Library, and the ambassador took the opportunity to quote from one of his recently released books emphasizing the necessity of tolerance in a world embittered by war and the so-called clash of civilizations. “Tolerance lies at the heart of our common goal to build a better tomorrow”, he said, adding that tolerance is an important feature of a democratic political culture. It is such a simple concept that everyone understands it. It is also a wide-ranging concept that embraces culture, education, politics, religion and other aspects of modern life.

He quoted a French professor saying tolerance is a long combat, fought for several centuries. The ambassador also introduced the senior reporter and Member of the Board of Romanian Television Dr Dona Tudor, to the audience. She is here these days making various documentaries on Pakistan. He presented a collection of books including the three that he has written during his stay in Pakistan, and a number of others on various aspects of Romania.

The secretary of the culture ministry, Ismail Hassan Niazi, accepting the books lauded the role the Romanian envoy has played in bringing better understanding between the people of the two countries. He paid tributes to his efforts that at a time when people are speaking about the so-called clash of civilizations he is talking about dialogue between civilizations through his books.

Welcoming the guest, the director, Lok Virsa, Dr Shamim Zaidi spoke of the new dimensions that the Romanian ambassador had added to friendship between the two countries through his understanding of our national language Urdu as also through interpretation of the writings of Allama Iqbal.

She especially lauded ambassador’s recent publication, which she said, commemorates the ties of friendship between Pakistan and Romania. Ms Zaidi also said that Lok Virsa was in the process of establishing a museum of ethnology in Islamabad, and told the audience of the efforts of the executive director of the Virsa, Uxi Mufti, in establishing the first state museum. She said it was being established in the federal capital to portray, display and explain the history, antiquity and living traditions of the people of Pakistan covering all regions, including the remote areas.

Two documentaries, one of some folk songs from Romania, and another Tere Ishq nachaya thyya, thya, sung by renowned folk and sufistic singer Abida Parveen and prepared in the Lok Virsa studios where the programme was held, were shown at the end of the programme.—Mufti Jamiluddin Ahmad