The World Culture Festival, which lasted for more than a month, culminated on Saturday in Karachi with hundreds of people attending the grand closing ceremony organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) at Karachi’s YMCA Park.

“My purpose is to serve Pakistan and its flag. I could have left this country, But I chose not to,” ACP Karachi President Muhammad Ahmed Shah said at the event.

“Whether the richest of the rich or the poorest of the poor, everyone will receive the same respect. I want to work for the youth. I am a middle-class man. I turned a garbage dump into one of the world’s leading institutions.”

Scriptwriter and satirist Anwar Maqsood, singers Asim Azhar, Akhtar Chanal Zahri, Armaan Rahim, Muneeb Khan, Sameer Hamza and poet Tehzeeb Hafi attended the closing ceremony.

Maqsood entertained the people with his humour and satire.

Artists from more than 40 countries, including Palestine, performed at the festival. They expressed their delight in being part of the show and spoke about their love for Pakistani food.

The event was scheduled to conclude within a month, however, it was later extended by the ACP president.

For almost more than a month, according to reporters, Karachi’s ACP was bustling as artists from worldwide were seen.

Many of the performers visited Pakistan for the first and told Aaj News that their visit and the hospitality changed their perception of the country.

In this period, some of them spoke about their love for Pakistani food. They loved biryani for its taste.

In his speech, Shah thanked the Sindh government for supporting the “cultural revolution.”

Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah and playwright Anwar Maqsood praised the ACP Karachi president for his hard work in holding the event.

“I pay tribute to Anwar Maqsood, Ahmed Shah, and all my officers for the successful organisation of such a large festival. This festival has not only featured international artists but also considered local talent,” Haider said..

On the final day of the festival, a showreel showcasing the performances of the ACP Karachi was presented.