German consulate, Goethe-Institut unveil plans for cultural activities in city

The period between now and December 31 promises to be one of most captivating cultural activity to be sponsored by the Consulate-General of Germany and the Goethe-Institut.

This was announced at a press conference on Thursday by German Consul General in Karachi Rainer Schmiedchen and the director of the Goethe-Institut, Stefan Winkler.

Schmiedchen said that the programme was to begin with a workshop on graphic novels to be conducted by the Director of MOSAIK, the comic with the highest circulation in Germany, to be followed by a football tournament, the German Consulate Cup 2016, which in turn was to be followed by an academic day meant for scholars and alumni who had had contacts “with partners in Germany”.

The culmination of the activities will be perhaps the most exhilarating, a concert by a young German opera singer. Incidentally, her father is the honorary Consul of Pakistan in Munich, Germany.

Stefan Winkler announced the holding of jazz, electronic music, and Sufi music concerts with Ashraf Khan featuring in the last mentioned variety. 

He said the Institut would be holding a spelling bee contest for young Pakistanis learning German at school. He said there would also be an exhibition and a film festival for children. Besides, Schmiedchen also announced the holding of a lecture by a German political scientist at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA), dealing with the South Asian region in perspective.

Winkler said that the Goethe-Institut was about to complete 60 years of its existence in Pakistan and in this interregnum, had sponsored many literary projects.

 It was also supporting the language departments in many schools and universities. He said that the Institut also planned to put up an exhibition of German artists since 1973, adding that after it was first held in 1973, it was lost and just by chance it had recently been salvaged.

A questioner asked as to the holding a large-scale classical western music concert with some chamber or philharmonic orchestra from any German city, which are abounding in them. 

He said that it would be a mighty service to the western classical music fans in town, pointing out that Karachi was teeming with classical western music fans.

Schmiedchen replied, “I too realise the presence of the Western classical music craze in town but, unfortunately, it is an exorbitantly expensive process. So under the present circumstances, this does not sound very feasible.”