PESHAWAR: Senior folk artists returned from a three-day cultural trip to Kalash valley in Chitral where they highlighted natural beauty of the area through music and photography.

Arranged under the auspices of department of tourism, culture, archaeology and museums, the trip of 25 folk artists was termed more than travel to a dreamland but an opportunity to display their art.

The artists told this scribe that provincial culture secretary, Dr Abdul Samad, fulfilled his promise he had made during a meeting with the performers. They said that their other proposals would too be materialised. It was an occasion for displaying creative expression themed with intercultural dialogue, unity, and peace, they added.

“We felt greatly relieved on the three-day trip to historic Kalash valley where we conducted several fruitful activities including live musical performance, photography workshops, documentary filming, storytelling and dialogue sessions with Kalash community members,” said Dr Rashid Ahmad Khan, chief of Hunari Tolana organisation.

He said that the main purpose of the trip was to provide a platform to local folk artists and performers to display their talent for highlighting the natural and cultural beauty of the oldest community, carrying on the legacy of an ancient tradition.

“Not only we communicated with Kalash community members but also entrained domestic and even some foreign visitors, who appreciated our live music performance and way of talk and walk,” said Mr Khan.

The folk artists were given rounds of visits to different parts of Kalash valley where they were briefed on the ancient tradition and community life and shared cultural landscape of old art and culture in the area.

Veteran Pashto folk singer Ahmad Gul Ustad stated that the trip gave him and his other colleagues a great sigh of relief, hoping that provincial culture department would put rhetoric into action by launching a music street in the provincial metropolis and revival of cultural activities in Nishtar Hall.

Fazal Wahab Dard, another senior folk artist, said that the trip was a milestone as it would pave the way for other viable proposals for promoting cultural activities. “We thank our provincial culture secretary for providing us with a wonderful opportunity for learning more about ways and means to highlight our cultural identity and show it to the world,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025