LAHORE: Returning to Pakistan after 30 years, the three-day AdAsia Lahore 2019 will start at Alhamra Arts Council here on Tuesday.

AdAsia is Asia’s largest and most prestigious ad congress held every two years under the auspices of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). Its theme is ‘Celebrasian: Celebration of Advertising and Creativity in Asia’.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will open the AdAsia 2019, the 31st Advertising Congress.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is also expected to attend the event.

Pakistan is celebrating advertising and communications by bringing the most inspirational figures to AdAsia with more than 25 speakers travelling from all over the world that will help promote Pakistan’s soft image in the world.

Some 750 delegates around the globe are expected to attend the event. The speakers include William Dalrymple (historian and author), Randi Zuckerberg (Founder & CEO, Zuckerberg Media), Lord William Hague (former secretary of state UK), Tay Guan Hin (Creative Change Catalyst, APAC Global Advisory), Richard Quest (chief business correspondent CNN), Tasuharu Sasaki (Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Network), Atifa Silk (Brand Director, Campaign — Asia), Musharaf Hai (Managing Director, L’Oreal), Javed Jabbar (media expert), Seema Kamil (President and CEO, UBL), Taher Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communi­cations), Ali Rez (Regional CD, Middle East & Pakistan, BBDO Worldwide), Shazia Syed (CEO, Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited) and Dr Zeelaf Munir (MD & CEO, EBM).

This will be a seminal event for Pakistan’s advertising industry and it is hoped that the fraternity will gear up and send as many young delegates as possible.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2019