World Culture Festival 2025 - Karachi
39-day international festival celebrating music, film and performance with artists from 141 countries at Arts Council of Pakistan.
The World Culture Festival 2025 is a major international cultural event taking place at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. This 39-day festival brings together over 1,000 artists and performers from 141 countries to celebrate diversity, diplomacy, and the transformative power of art.
The festival operates under three central themes: peace and cultural exchange, climate awareness, and global unity. The opening night featured performances from renowned artists including Pakistani visual artist Amin Gulgee, French santoor player Zakaria Haffar, Pakistani flutist Akbar Khamiso Khan, and performers from Nepal, Belgium, Syria, Bangladesh, Italy, Romania, and the Congo. American dance troupes Ballet Beyond Borders and Chrome Louie also participated.
The festival showcases multiple art forms including folk and contemporary music, visual arts performances, traditional dance, cinema, and theater. Environmental awareness is highlighted through short films such as 'Plastic' from South Korea and 'Love Note to an Island' from Kiribati.
The event also celebrates Sindh's cultural heritage, honoring poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and featuring traditional Sufi music performances. According to Arts Council Pakistan President Ahmad Shah, the festival aims to 'remind the world that art can still speak where politics fails.' The festival demonstrates commitment to using culture as a form of soft power and diplomacy, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah noting the expansion from 44 countries in the previous year to over 140 nations currently.