KARACHI, Aug 30: A non-governmental organization, the Floral Art Society, will organize an international event, ‘The World Show’ in 2008, in which representatives of over 30 countries will participate.

This was announced at a floral show organized by the Floral Art Society on Tuesday in the city. Over 60 floral arrangements were on display at the show that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s wife, Rukhsana Aziz.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Aziz said that for any society to progress, women needed to actively participate in all its facets of life especially in promoting the Pakistani cultural heritage.

She said women represented half of the country’s population and they had to play their part in building an exciting, progressive and a rising Pakistan.

She said that flowers had always played an important role in society and there was evidence of floral decorations since more than 4,000 years back, reflected by themes taken upon in the paintings and sculptures of ancient civilizations.

She said that floral art blended creativity with nature and produced an art form, which was soothing, attractive, colourful and expressive, and it required unique skills, patience, rhythm, balance and attention in detail.

Mrs Aziz commended that the floral art society was participating in national as well as international competitions, as it not only projected the creative skills that Pakistanis had, but also built linkages between civil societies.

She urged local women to play their role in strengthening the national economy and contribute towards building a stronger Pakistan.

Earlier, Aisha Tariq, chief of the Floral Art Society, giving a brief resume of the organization said that it was established in 1970 and since then it had continuously grown.

It has till now not only organized various national events, but has also participated in various international events.

Besides, it is also a member of the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies of Great Britain and the World Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA), which has a membership of 31 countries.

She said that earlier world shows of WAFA had till now been organized in developed countries only, but the next WAFA world show would be held in 2008 in Lahore.

She said the society, which worked on no-profit-no-loss basis, also supported various charities and funds generated through its annual shows. These funds were given to various organizations such as the Citizen’s Foundation, Behbood Association, etc, who were doing good work in the field of education, etc for the less privileged sections of society.

Earlier, Talat Hashmi, Naushaba Khalil, and others also spoke.

Later, Mrs Rukhsana Aziz gave the Shahida Khan Silver Rose Trophy to Zarine Patel, while first prizes in various categories were given to Erum Habib, Qudsia Akber, Fauzia Haji, Farida Kalim.