ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology and Museum Department of Gilgit Baltistan paving the way for establishing its regional cultural centre in the north.

PNCA DG Dr Fouzia Saeed and Gilgit Baltistan Minister for Culture Raja Nasir Ali signed the agreement.

The MoU will allow PNCA to set up its regional culture centre in GB for collaborative programmes of mutual interest and understanding to share a common mandate. The centre will promote art and culture, cultural education, dissemination of related information including the transmission of knowledge and cultural development and training of human resource in the fields of art and culture.

The main aspect of this kind of cooperation is to open new horizons for younger generation to learn about the power of cultural information with correct perception. PNCA is trying to explore new avenues to engage youth in its cultural endeavors, Dr Fouzia Saeed said at the signing ceremony.

GB Minister for Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology and Museum Department Raja Nasir Ali termed this MoU a new beginning for the promotion of art and culture of Gilgit Baltistan at national and international level.

Dr Fouzia Saeed said the MoU with the GB government was aimed at promoting regional art and culture of GB in Pakistan and abroad. She was of the opinion that PNCA had been too Islamabad centric and it was time that it should reach out to the provinces and establish itself there.

“PNCA has a national mandate and is not an Islamabad arts council,” she said during the signing ceremony.

For achieving the common goals the GB government will provide space free of cost for the establishment of PNCA’s office in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The platform will be utilized to hold joint programme to further the cultural awareness, promotion and research, as and when planned with mutual consultation.

The GB government will facilitate PNCA for any permission, authorisations that may be required to conduct cultural activities, festivals or filming in GB.

The GB government will also provide facilities and venues including auditoriums free of cost to PNCA for holding cultural activities.

The common goal of both the organisations was to accelerate cultural activities to preserve and promote the tangible and intangible culture and traditions of the people of GB.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021