KARACHI: To announce the commencement of a series of cultural events from October to December, German Consul General Rainer Schmiedchen spoke to the media at the Press Club on Thursday and shared some of the highlights that are part of the programme.

Called ‘German Weeks in Karachi’, the programme’s aim is to “join hands in culture, and encourage people-to-people contact”. This year’s line-up has more to offer as Mr Schmiedchen explained that though “German culture weeks are a tradition already, the programme has never been this variegated as this year.”

Kicking off on Oct 3, the first offering is a workshop on graphic novels with Klaus Schleiter of MOSAIK. “German Weeks start with a workshop by a German comic artist who comes all the way from Berlin to carry out the project with students and artists on the issue of vocational training,” said Mr Schmiedchen.

The purpose of the workshop is to highlight Germany’s contributions towards the creation of skilful human capital in Pakistan and aims to inspire the youth to acquire technical skills for a successful career in a blue-collar job, he explained.

“The second highlight is football. We will hold the first ever German Consulate cup in Karachi and we have invited youngsters from schools and institutions, where German language is taught, to participate,” he said.

With football a popular sport in Germany as well as Pakistan, the German Consulate General, Karachi, and Pakistani football club, Karachi United, will be organising the event together. The tournament will be held on Nov 12 on the Karachi United Football club ground at 9am.

Music also features prominently in the programme with German Opera singer, Philomena Poetis, performing on Nov 27. A Sufi fusion concert is scheduled for Nov 13 with Victor Marek, musician and manager of the Golden Poodle Club performing together with Ashraf Sharif Khan, son of sitar master Ustad Mohammad Sharif Khan Poonchwala.

Mr Schmiedchen also spoke about a lecture by leading German political scientist Prof Dr Conrad Schetter to introduce a German perspective on Pakistan and its neighbouring countries. Having studied at the University of Bonn, Prof Schetter has extensively researched on themes such as “politics of intervention, economies of violence and fragile states and is an expert on South and Central Asia including Pakistan.” The lecture will be held at The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs on Dec 13.

Goethe-Institut Director Stefan Winkler spoke about how the German culture institute would also be contributing to several programmes comprising German Weeks.

“Existing since 60 years, Goethe-Institut has been organising projects in literature, theatre and visual arts, cinema and music,” he said.

He hailed Karachi as having a varied cultural scene, especially in visual arts and was also excited to announce an exhibition that would be held from Nov 8 to Nov 18.

“An exhibition of German artists from the early 1970s was somehow lost and last year we rediscovered it in Karachi. We don’t know exactly what happened,” said Mr Winkler. Titled New Geometry, the exhibition was conceived in 1973 where 10 German artists used optical and geometric patterns and it would be showcased at V.M. Art Gallery.

Updates about the events and different activities will be available on the Facebook page of the German consulate general, Karachi.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016