Italian National Unity Day marked

Italian Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo and Defence Attaché Col Giorgio Raino hosted a large reception at the Marriott Hotel to mark Italy’s National Unit and Armed Forces Day.

The day is celebrated every year on Nov 4 to commemorate Italy’s victory in World War I as a member of the Allies.

Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan was invited to the reception as the chief guest.

Col Raino explained that the National Unity and Armed Forces Day has been celebrated as a public holiday until 1976, and is still marked with various commemorative events including the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Altare della Patria monument in Rome.

The event saw a number of military officers attached to various missions, as well as locals. The head of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan and several colleagues were also among the guests.

Farewell luncheon for Indian envoy

The dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Kazakh Ambassador Bakhitbek Shabarbayev, hosted a luncheon reception at the Serena Hotel to bid farewell to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who will now be taking up a new assignment as the Indian envoy to China.

In his speech, Mr Shabarbayev expressed gratitude for the good times all the envoys had had with Mr Bambawale and his wife. Several guests also remarked on the friendliness that he and his wife had shown to both foreigners and locals in Pakistan.

“We will miss the highly professional and social friends, and I will also miss the pleasant dinners the high commissioner’s wife Amita organized with such ease and success. I will always remember the advice she gave about entertaining,” said an envoy’s wife, adding that she expected that the yoga exercise groups will still continue.

Mre Bambawale said he had enjoyed his time in Pakistan, underlining the close ties that exist culturally and at people-to-people level.

Earlier in the week, the high commissioner and his wife held a large reception at their residence, one of several farewell events before they depart mid-month.

63rd Algerian National Day celebrated

Ambassador Lakhal Benkelai hosted a large reception at the Serena Hotel to celebrate the 63rd National Day of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

The national anthems of Algeria and Pakistan were played at the event, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony.

Four Algerian students had travelled from Lahore to Islamabad for the event, accompanied by an Arabic teacher.

We have enjoyed our time in Pakistan since we came a few years ago, they said, adding that as Arabic and French speakers, coming to Pakistan had given them the opportunity to learn English and Urdu as well.

The event was well-attended by young people, including the families of diplomats and locals, all enjoying the traditional Algerian music that played in the background throughout the evening.

“The only issue about festive and pleasant events is that guests stay so long,” said a diplomat as he thanked the Algerian ambassador for his hospitality well beyond the usual two-hour time of the event.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2017