The inauguration of the World Performing Arts Festival 2007 at Alhamra Cultural Complex on Tuesday provided the city with a much-needed respite from the political chaos in Pakistan. The arts bonanza will start from tomorrow (Thursday) with performances ranging from dance, theatre, puppetry, music and film by foreign and Pakistani artistes. The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop has organised the festival in collaboration with Telenor. Tuesday’s event was held amid much fanfare. Lahori faces lit up to the occasion and were seen thronging Alhamra in hordes. The event was on invitation only and tickets will be made available at the cultural complex from tomorrow. The larger events will be held in halls number 1 and 2, while the rest of the shows will take place in tents put up around the complex, but within its perimeter. The amphitheatre itself was packed. Crowds were thin in the beginning, but the area began to fill up as soon as the show started. Organisers were very courteous and provided a well-balanced discipline to the event. The sitting arrangements were comfortable with seats set up all over the place. However, this arrangement is temporary and people will have to sit on the stairs after this event. The audience is advised to bring along floor cushions and jackets or shawls. Usman Peerzada, one of Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop’s organisers, opened the event with praise for Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf and the Punjab government. He said, “Pakistan is facing a difficult time and we hope this festival will give some respite to its people and to its image on the international arena. This festival will show the world that Pakistanis are peace loving and want to celebrate its art and culture. It will also help promote the country’s friendly image abroad.”

Usman also rubbished the warnings given to foreigners by their governments from travelling to Pakistan, saying, “We are a welcoming nation and want you (foreigners) to share with us our culture, heritage and tastes.” He said troupes from 21 countries were performing at the festival. He said the festival would include 11 concerts; 21 theatre groups including 14 from abroad; nine puppet groups including six from abroad and films from Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, The US, UK, Brazil, Germany and Iran. He said the festival had in the past celebrated the life of Lahore and would do so again this year.

The event catered well to journalists – both local and foreign. TV crews were seen setting up cameras in front of the stage, while photographers were busy getting the best spot to shoot the stage. Reporters were put up in a special press area from where they covered the event.