Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad participates in International Youth Art Festival

Paris: Pakistani Ambassador to France Asim Iftikhar Ahmad this week participated in International Youth Art Festival.

“International Youth Art Festival event organized by Kazakh Mission at UNESCO – beautiful work of many young artists from around the world including Dua from Pakistan,” the envoy posted on X.

UNESCO’s Paris headquarters hosted an exhibition and album presentation of the works of winners and finalists of the International Youth Festival themed The Planet of Art – 2024 on November12.

This festival celebrated world cultural and natural heritage monuments, as well as intangible cultural heritage, aligning with Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the World Federation of UNESCO Associations and Clubs.

According to UNESCO Kazakhstan’s press service, the exhibition was organized by the Kazakhstan National Federation of UNESCO Clubs (KazFUKA) with the support of Kazakhstan’s Permanent Mission to UNESCO.

Thousands of young participants, aged between 3 and 18, from across the globe submitted works to the festival jury. Winners and finalists received commemorative diplomas and an invitation to a cultural and educational program in Almaty.

“We see our common cultural and natural heritage treasures in these paintings. The exhibition invites us to view these monuments and traditions through the eyes of a new generation, emphasizing the need for their protection and promotion for future generations,” said Askar Abdrakhmanov, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, at the exhibition’s opening.

UNESCO Deputy Director-General Firmin Eduard Matoko highlighted the role of cultural heritage in linking past and future.

“The Planet of Art 2024 festival has created an excellent platform for young people to engage in heritage preservation, gathering participants from diverse backgrounds and encouraging new actions for sustainable development and cultural understanding,” he said.