German Ambassador Martin Kobler hosted the Day of German Unity reception at his residence which was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, dignitaries, businesspeople and others.

The message of unity was combined with an equally strong message of inclusion as the national anthems of Germany and Pakistan were performed by the Baseerat School for the Blind and the Singing Hands, a choir of hearing impaired young people. The ambassador also gave a multilingual speech in German, English and Urdu.

Ambassador Kobler said: “This is a great day where we again celebrate the Day of German Unity when 29 years ago the Wall came down. It is a day that proves in history that it is not sustainable to build walls; sooner or later walls fall down.”

Syed Omair, motivational speaker and advocate for inclusion of the disabled, addressed the audience, as did Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi and Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi.

As every year, various German organizations and partners had set up stalls showcasing the work they have been doing in Pakistan. Also on display was an exhibition titled Invisible Links: between Germany and Pakistan by young jewellery designers from the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2018