Shafqat Mahmood represents Pakistan in 4th virtual Extraordinary Conference of Culture Ministers of Islamic Countries Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization Member States

Islamabad, June 17, 2020 (PPI-OT): Federal Minister for National History and Literary Heritage Mr. Shafqat Mahmood represented Pakistan in 4th virtual Extraordinary Conference of Culture Ministers of Islamic Countries Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (ICESCO) Member States. In his statement, Federal Minister has said that the Covid-19 pandemic has deeply affected our lives, and our states and we are enforced to create new norms, in our way of life, interactions and relationships but at the same time it deeply affected the visible manifestation of cultural sector such as music, art and theatres.

Pakistan, to reduce the Covid-19 impact on art industry and to provide steady stream to cultural activities adjusted three- pronged strategy. The one was to go online for poetry sessions, musical concerts and online participation of artists in seminars. Secondly by reason of fast spread of Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan, and resultantly closure of Art academies and training institutions, our government immediately, planned and implemented special arrangements and SOPs for art students and performers, to facilitate them, in order to avoid discontinuity of cultural activities.

Mr. Mahmood said that due to abrupt break off art and culture activities, we realized the suffering of daily wage artists and workers who were related with art industry, ergo our government allocated a special fund of 1 billion in the budget which would be distributed among the poor artists and performers. Mr. Mahmood has noted that these are few initiatives our government took after the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic but these initiatives could not be substitute of the past practices when we were able to come together and enjoy these activities.

Federal Minister has stated, in every crisis there is an opportunity and in this crises our ability to develop online contents and to reachout people has significantly increased. Mr. Mahmood has said that the Covid-19 pandemic in various forms, is here to stay with us for a period of considerable time thus we have to follow the new normal and we have to find a way in which we can continue our cultural activities.

The Minister, in his statement also stressed on the member states of ICESCO to find a way forward to combat and overcome this crisis as soon as possible. The ICESCO is a specialized organization that operates under the aegis of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and is concerned with fields of education, science, culture and communication in Islamic countries in order to support and strengthen relations among Member States.

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