ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Romania has launched the inaugural edition of ‘Romanian Culture Days in Pakistan - Culture Bridges Nations’, a month-long celebration of Romania’s rich cultural heritage, art and diplomacy, with events scheduled in Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar.

A statement issued here on Saturday said the festival begins in Karachi with an early celebration of Romania’s National Day and the opening of a special photo exhibition marking 61 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and Pakistan.

Organised with support from the Romanian National Archives and the Diplomatic Archives of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the exhibition captures historic milestones of bilateral friendship. It will later travel to Islamabad and Peshawar as part of the National Day commemorations.

Music and performing arts will feature prominently in the festivities.

Romanian soprano Georgiana Costea Gluga will perform at the World Culture Festival in Karachi on November 4, followed by an opera workshop and Romanian film screenings at the Arts Council of Pakistan on November 5.

The festival will also feature performances by Ballet Beyond Borders, showcasing dance and artistic collaborations from Romania and other countries. The statement said promoting educational and cultural exchange remained a central focus of the initiative.

The Romanian embassy will donate collections of Romanian literature, art, and history books to the National Library of Pakistan and Numl in Islamabad, with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute.

This month will also mark the inauguration of the Romanian Language Lectorate at Numl, led by Prof Dr Oana Ursache, and funded by the Romanian state through the Romanian Language Institute.

Prof Ursache will deliver a lecture on Queen Marie of Romania, coinciding with her 150th birth anniversary, accompanied by the screening of the acclaimed documentary ‘Marie - Heart of Romania’.

In addition, the award-winning film The New Year That Never Came will be screened at the Karachi Film School on November 15 as part of the European Film Festival. Organised in collaboration with several Romanian and Pakistani institutions, the Romanian Culture Days aimed to deepen cultural understanding and people-to-people connections, celebrating over six decades of friendship between Romania and Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2025